Words to Treasure
On one of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray.
Luke 6:12
Murray knew the prayer, but he wasn’t sure what it meant:
“Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.
May your kingdom come.
May what you want to happen be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.
Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one.”
Jesus taught his disciples this prayer so that we could tell God that we love and respect him. What does this prayer teach us? First off, that God is our Father in heaven and that he rules everything. And someday we will be with him in that heavenly kingdom. Just as everything in the universe obeys God’s will, we want to as well.
Our daily bread means that we understand everything we have is from God, because he takes care of us. In this prayer we also promise to forgive people who do us wrong just as God forgives us. We also want God to help us do right things. Only God can and will protect us from evil. It’s a simple prayer with a whole lot in it. When you need to pray, try memorizing the prayer Jesus taught us.
Discovering Archaeology
Jesus prayed often. Today, many people go to the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray. It is thought to be the only remaining part of Jerusalem’s third temple that wasn’t destroyed by Rome’s General Titus when he completely destroyed the city.