| One of our problems in praying is not what to say or what to ask for, but how we should say it. The disciples felt that need. They said to the Lord, "Lord, teach us to pray." (Lk 11:1) Our Lord responded by giving them a pattern, a guide for their prayers. We call this "The Lord's Prayer". But it is not really the "Lord's". For example, this prayer asks for forgiveness of sin. That is one matter about which we often need to pray but Jesus Christ never needed to do so. Therefore, it is our prayer, yet it is not a prayer which we should repeat over and over without thinking. It was given as a definite guide for all our praying. Our prayers should be the grateful opening of our hearts to our Heavenly Father, even if we are asking Him to supply our needs. The background of this model prayer is given to us in Matthew's Gospel. In speaking about our praying Christ said that our prayers should be: 1. Sincere (Mt 6:5). The danger of hypocrisy is always present with all of us. As we pray, are we praying out of a deep sense of need? Or are we merely wanting someone else to see how well we can pray? Christ told us to be sincere when we pray. 2. Simple (Mt 6:7). It is not merely repeating our requests that Christ is objecting to. He repeated His own requests in Gethsemane several times. Nor does He mean we should not have long periods of prayer. He himself spent whole nights in prayer. What Christ was warning us about is the empty and meaningless repetition of words which, because of their great number, are supposed to count with God. In our praying, let us be sincere and simple. 3. Sample. Then Christ gave a sample prayer - a model, a guide for our praying. It teaches us so many aspects of prayer. Most of all when we pray, remember we are talking with our Father. Read the prayer again. Notice those points and the requests which this model prayer covers. These are the points which all our prayers should include, and which our Father will be looking for as we pray. | 
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