Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons God has given us, and looking ahead at 2022, I believe it has never been more important for God?s people to be on our knees. But knowing how to pray is not always easy. Jesus? disciples felt the same confusion. They were familiar with the oft-repeated prayers of the Torah. But Jesus prayed with a kind of authority and power they had never seen before ? as though God was listening! So when they came to Jesus, as told in Matthew 6, they didn?t say, ?Teach us another prayer.? They said, ?Lord, teach us to pray.?

    The Lord?s Prayer (Matthew 6:9?13) is Christ?s response. It is a beautiful prayer and one that every Christian should hide in their heart ? I challenged my granddaughter to memorize it. But elegant as the words are, I do not believe Jesus intended it to become another ritualistic prayer. Rather, it was to be an example of how to pray.

    "This, then, is how you should pray:
?Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today 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 the evil one.?" ?Matthew 6:9?13, NIV