08/06/2025
The Disciple’s Prayer
The more accurate title of The Lord’s Prayer would be The Disciple’s Prayer. Jesus did not want his disciples to use this prayer as a vain repetition, but he wanted them to pray in this pattern.
The prayer consists of six petitions. And the fifth petition is to forgive our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
Jesus goes on to say if we forgive other people when they sin against us, our heavenly Father will also forgive us. But if we do not forgive others their sins, our Father will not forgive our sins.
Sin disrupts our relationship with God. Since unforgiveness is a sin, it disrupts our relationship with God.
Jesus taught His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount about worshipping God and unresolved conflicts. He said that when we offer our gift at the altar and remember that our brother or sister has something against us, we need to first leave our gift before the altar, be reconciled with them, and then offer our gift. In other words, unless we reconcile with our brother or sister, we cannot have a right relationship with our Heavenly Father.
We cannot claim to have a good relationship with God if we do not get along with one another.
Unforgiveness is like sitting on a swing in a playground. The more we think about the wrong done to us, we push ourselves higher and further away from where we are supposed to be. The world looks different to us. Everything around us is a haze. We lose control of ourselves. Emotions take over. Bitterness governs our thoughts, and deep-rooted resentment takes center stage. But when we try to halt the swing by attempting to place our feet on the ground, the swing gradually slows down, bringing it to a halt, and finally, we can get down from it. Similarly, when we stop mulling over the past and the wrong done to us, the swing will slow down, finally enabling us to forgive and forget.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I surrender my hurt and pain to you. I choose to forgive those who hurt me so I may have a right relationship with you. Help me overcome.
“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 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. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:9-15 ESV
