Matthew 6:7 – “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (NLT)

Keep it simple – that’s what Jesus teaches us about prayer.  While this prayer seems simple enough, we should note that these simple words contain powerful petitions.  Consider asking that God’s will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.  We have often prayed this, but we should consider what we are asking!  In heaven there is no sin, no anger, no grudges held, no prejudices.  When we pray this simple prayer, we are asking that our lives be radically changed!  When we pray for God’s will here on earth, we are in essence asking that we have the strength to lay every selfish desire that we have aside, and instead humbly serve others.  We might worry about a worship service going a few minutes over an hour, yet will we be quick to leave worship in heaven?  We put conditions on our love for others, but no such conditions exist in heaven.  What radical words this simple prayer contains. 

Verse fourteen presents a huge challenge for many – if we refuse to forgive others, then God will not forgive us.  However, if we are truly seeking to live kingdom life now, then we will forgive.  If we refuse to forgive, then whenever we pray the Lord’s Prayer, and ask for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven, we are either lying or ignorant of what we ask!

God’s kingdom now is radical, and God wants us to live radical lives now.  Today, let’s live radically.  Today, let us allow someone to see the difference that God can make in the world by seeing the difference that God has made in us!

Posted by Ramón Torres