This Year’s Theme: Kingdom Living!

To wrap our minds around the idea of prayer let’s begin by thinking about it as a conversation with God. However, by definition, “conversation” implies two people talking back and forth, not just one person talking into space. Let’s be honest – that is often what it feels like. We aren’t talking WITH God- we are talking AT God. Conversation also implies that one person is listening. We can grasp the idea of God listening to us, but are unsure about how to listen to God. Prayer can feel lopsided- and sometimes pointless.

We are commanded to pray over 450 times in the Bible. I don’t think we would be told to pray that many times if it wasn’t important for our growth as Christians. Prayer is a gift. The other crazy thing is that God WANTS us to pray – to talk to Him- to pour out our hearts to Him- to thank Him- to tell Him that we love Him, to ask for what we need. He always listens to us when we pray to Him and longs to pour out His love, peace, joy, and mercy on us.

We are going to spend time focusing on the prayer that Jesus told us to pray – commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father.” For some this prayer may be very familiar, for others not at all. For many it may be a prayer we say routinely in church but never give much thought to the words. We will dive deep into the Lord’s Prayer for our Bible Interactions this summer to make this prayer take root in our hearts and shape our prayer life as we follow Jesus. It will be an amazing introduction to Kingdom Living!

Theme Verse: Matthew 6:6,9-13

6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.