The Lord’s Prayer (Part 5) – God First

Powerpoint Pictures: Magic Lamp; Children watching TV; Chocolate; Picture of a family; Money; Get Well Soon Card

In the story of Aladdin, he free a genie from a magic lamp who gives him what he wishes for.

If you were in his situation, what would you ask for?

To stay past your bedtime and watch TV?  For chocolate that tastes good and is healthy?  To get married, have children, own a house and car?  Loads of money?  To not be sick anymore?

Lots of people would ask for these things.

And they all have something in common.  They are all things for you!

We are so quick to think about ourselves and our needs.

Now when it comes to prayer, Jesus tells us to go against our natural instincts.

He says first pray…

“Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

Did you notice what word appears three times?  Your.  We begin by praying for what God wants.

Then He says pray…

“Give us today our daily bread.  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 6:11-13)

Did you notice what word appears four times?  Us.  After we pray for what God wants, we then pray for what we need.

Jesus is telling us that when we pray, we are to put what God wants above what we want.

When we pray remember to pray for what God wants first and then us second.  When we do this, we’ll find over time that what we want changes, and what we want becomes what God wants.  So what things does God want that we should pray for?