day 4

 Every follower of Christ should be taught how to pray – just as Jesus Himself did when He gathered a crowd and modeled it for them.

^“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
    but rescue us from the evil one.
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:9-15

Prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have, but it is often misunderstood. Jesus is teaching the disciples and us how to approach God in prayer. God simply desires us to talk with Him and prayer is how we do that.  It is not just words to recite; it’s a blueprint for living in close relationship with God.

The first part of the prayer focuses on God’s glory. So often, our prayers become a checklist of the things we need, want, or hope for. When we start our prayer focusing on who God is, it can change the entire direction of our prayer.

“Our Father” reminds us of God’s closeness. He is not distant or unreachable. He is close, caring for us deeply. Jesus is helping us see that God knows and loves us intimately as His children. He is a good Father and He delights to hear us. As children of God, we receive a relationship that cannot be lost or changed. Keeping the Lord’s name holy reminds us to respect and honor God above all else. This should also help us remember it is not about us. It turns our attention away from ourselves and onto God.

Praying for God’s kingdom to come means asking for His love, justice, and truth to reign in our lives and in the world around us. As Jesus’ people pray and obey God’s will for them, His kingdom becomes increasingly evident to the unbelieving world around them.

2. Focus on How God Provides
“Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

When Jesus teaches us to pray “give us today the food we need,” He is inviting us to bring our everyday worries and needs to Him. We do not need to beg, manipulate, or hold back  out of fear that God doesn’t care. God does care, and He provides. And while He may not give us everything we ask for, He always gives what we truly need. This line points back to when God led the Israelites out of Egypt and provided manna from heaven every morning to eat. God only gave just enough for that day, not more, so that the Israelites would daily rely on Him to provide.

The same is true for us when we follow Jesus each day. We can trust He will provide everything we need for today, and when tomorrow comes, He’ll provide what we need then, too.

3. Ask for Forgiveness
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Just as we ask God for our daily bread, we also ask Him to forgive our sins. We ask God to forgive us in the same way we forgive those who have sinned against us. We’re not to be like the ungrateful servant in Matthew 18:21-35, who refused to forgive a small debt right after being forgiven a massive one by the king. Our forgiveness of others does not earn us the right to be forgiven, but when our eyes are opened to the enormity of our own sin and we see how God forgives us, the offense of others to us should seem small by comparison.

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Forgiving others can be incredibly hard, but when we remember all that God has forgiven us, it should motivate our hearts to take steps toward forgiving those around us.

The message of the Lord’s Prayer is clear and covers every aspect of our lives: our heart, our daily needs, forgiveness, and deliverance from sin. It reminds us that we have a good Heavenly Father who delights in caring for us.  This prayer isn’t just to memorize; it is a way to live.

By focusing on God’s holiness, trusting Him to provide, offering forgiveness, and seeking His protection, we strengthen our relationship with Him. Start living out these principles each day and watch how God works.

Have you ever looked through a pair of binoculars? They help you see faraway things more clearly. The interesting thing is, you can usually see the object without binoculars, but they help you focus on it. They zoom in, making the image bigger, so you can better focus on it.

In our scripture passage, Jesus asks, “Where is your focus?” He speaks specifically about two areas: possessions and the things of God. Just as we use binoculars, we must zero in on what is most important in our lives. And Jesus gives us three areas on which to focus: our hearts, our eyes, and how we live.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:19-24

Jesus doesn’t waste time talking about worldly treasures. He says the things we gather on this earth can be destroyed or taken from us. The people listening to Jesus would have understood this. They had tangible belongings: metals that could tarnish, fabrics that could be destroyed by moths, livestock that could be stolen, and fields that could be burned. Everything they possessed could be taken from them.

Our “treasures” may be different today. But Jesus names the things we are prone to treasure and then offers us something better. He tells us to “store up treasures in Heaven.” Unlike earthly things, these treasures cannot rust or be stolen. They can’t be replicated, and they never go out of style. However, because heavenly treasures aren’t tangible, they aren’t always easy to see. They are things like faith, love, service, giving, and trust. We don’t always value them the way we should. It’s much easier to be satisfied with the things of this world instead. That’s why Jesus warns us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

A lamp provides light. In Bible times, people used small oil lamps that gave just enough light to see one step at a time. It’s the same type of lamp mentioned in Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.”

The eye sets the direction for where we are going. Before we take a step, we must look to see the path ahead. If we set our gaze on possessions, achievement, grades, sports, and relationships, then that’s what we will run toward. But the opposite is also true; if our focus is on the things of God, we will run toward those things.

Jesus says that if our eyes are healthy, if we’re focusing on treasures in Heaven, we will be filled with light. But if our eyes are unhealthy, meaning we are focused on earthly treasures, we will be filled with darkness. Are your eyes focused on Jesus or on the things around you?

Jesus uses the word “master” to describe something, or someone, that a person is completely devoted to, something that has complete control over us. It drives everything we do, and we would do literally anything for it. And when you are that devoted to something, it’s impossible to serve anything else in the same way.

Jesus explains that you can’t be totally sold out to money and be totally sold out to Jesus. Does this mean that money is bad? Not necessarily. Money can be used for good, but it’s how we handle it and how we feel about it that matters. 1 Timothy 6:10 reminds us that “the love of money is the root of all evil.” It doesn’t say that money itself is the root of all evil, it’s the love of money. It all comes back to our heart. Jesus isn’t teaching us this because He wants to punish us. He’s showing us that love is better, peace is better, grace is better, forgiveness is better, and the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross is better. He is pointing us to something greater.

Think about what you focus on most often. Then ask God to help you focus on Him and the things that do not fade away. He is so much greater than anything the world can offer.