In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us how to live an authentic spiritual life. He warns against practicing faith to impress others. Even good things like giving, praying, and fasting can become empty if our motives are wrong. Jesus points out that true spiritual life comes not from outward appearances but from inward devotion.
He then gives us a model prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, to show us how to focus our hearts rightly. It starts with God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
This beginning reminds us that prayer should be centered on God first, not ourselves. It is easy to make prayer about our desires, but Jesus teaches us to seek God’s purposes above our own. In a world focused on self-promotion, Jesus calls us to seek God’s glory.
Calling God “our Father” was a powerful image for Jesus’ listeners. It reminded them that God is both sovereign and personal. He is not distant or uninterested; He is near, caring, and involved in our daily lives.
After setting our hearts on God’s glory, the prayer moves to our needs: “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” These three petitions cover our physical needs, our relationships, and our spiritual struggles.
When we ask for daily bread, we are expressing total dependence on God. Bread represents more than food—it includes everything we need to live: health, work, relationships, and provision. We often want to secure our own future, but this prayer reminds us to trust God one day at a time.
This kind of trust builds humility. It teaches us that we are not in control. We can’t predict what tomorrow will bring, but we can place our lives in God’s hands. Each morning is a chance to start again in dependence on His grace.
The second request is for forgiveness: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus connects our forgiveness from God with our willingness to forgive others. This isn’t because we earn forgiveness by forgiving, but because truly receiving God’s mercy should soften our hearts toward others.
Jesus illustrates this with the parable of the Unforgiving Servant. A servant is forgiven a massive debt by his king—equivalent to millions of days of labor. But that same servant refuses to forgive someone who owes him just a few months’ wages. The contrast is extreme, and Jesus uses this story to show that no offense against us comes close to the offense of our sin before God.
Understanding this helps us stay humble. We’re all capable of serious sin. We’re not better than others—we just stand by God’s grace. This realization should lead us to be compassionate and quick to forgive.
But forgiveness is not easy. It’s not a single act—it’s a process. Some wounds take time to heal. Forgiveness may begin as a choice long before it becomes a feeling. Still, we are called to forgive as God has forgiven us.
Sometimes the pain we feel from others helps us better understand how we have hurt God. It gives us a glimpse into what it means for Him to forgive us. As we reflect on this, we gain a deeper appreciation for grace—and become more able to extend it.
Next, Jesus tells us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This is a prayer for protection—not just from difficult circumstances, but from the danger of falling into sin. “Deliver us from evil” can also be translated, “deliver us from the evil one,” pointing to Satan, who seeks to lead believers astray.
Jesus is not saying that God tempts us. James 1:13 is clear: “God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” Instead, we are asking God not to let us face trials that would overwhelm us. We’re also asking for strength to endure and escape temptation, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises.
This part of the prayer reminds us that we are in a spiritual battle. We need God’s help to stand firm. It also echoes Proverbs 30, where the writer asks God to give neither poverty nor riches—just enough to stay faithful. Both suffering and success can lead us away from dependence on God.
I’ve seen people struggle just as much in success as in hardship. Prosperity can breed pride, just as lack can lead to despair. That’s why Jesus teaches us to pray not just for provision, but for protection from the dangers that come with both.
The Lord’s Prayer shows us a balanced and powerful view of the spiritual life. We need God’s help every day—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And this help comes not from rituals or empty words, but from a real relationship with our heavenly Father.
This prayer also reflects the Trinity. The Father provides our daily needs. The Son secures our forgiveness. The Holy Spirit strengthens us in the fight against temptation. The entire Godhead is involved in shaping our lives.
Finally, we must remember that Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father.” This is a communal prayer. It’s not just for individuals but for the whole family of God. We are not meant to walk this journey alone—we are called to share it with others in faith and love.
We can pray these exact words, or let them guide our own. Either way, the Lord’s Prayer reminds us to start with God’s glory, trust Him for today’s needs, seek His mercy, and rely on His power to resist sin. In doing so, our lives become more aligned with His purposes—and our hearts become more like His.
To explore the Sermon on the Mount more deeply and discover how to thoughtfully answer the questions below, subscribe to Ken Boa Reflections on Substack.
Questions for Reflection
- In what ways do your prayers typically begin—with God’s glory and will, or with your personal needs? How might reordering your focus change your experience of prayer?
- When you pray, do you truly approach God as your loving Father, or do you tend to think of Him as distant or demanding? What does it mean for you to trust Him as “Abba”?
- Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? How does your understanding of God’s forgiveness toward you shape your willingness to forgive others?
- Are there areas in your life where you’ve placed your hope in an outcome rather than in God? What would it look like to transfer that hope back to God’s unchanging character?
