| A Heavenly Treasure from David Rich, March 20, 2026
Matthew 6:9-13, “Pray like this…”
What if I told you that you can find God’s Word about LOVE, HOLINESS, HOPE, SOVEREIGNTY, DEPENDENCE, MERCY, FORGIVENESS, PROTECTION, and DELIVERENCE all in just one small part of the Bible?
Well, you can. It’s called The Lord’s Prayer. It’s the prayer Jesus taught His disciples and the same one we should teach our children. It’s really a most incredible prayer. My aim today is to break it down a bit. My hope is that you fall in love with it, perhaps for the first time, or perhaps, again.
“Our Father who art in heaven,” shows us so many things. First, it shows that HE is our true father. Sure, we have an earthly father, but the one we will spend eternity with is God alone. He loved us BEFORE we loved Him and is on the throne always. His love never departs from us. Not for a single second. He doesn’t get disappointed with us, contrary to popular belief. If He did, that meant we were capable of doing something outside His dominion, which of course, we can’t.
“Hallowed be Thy name,” shows us that He is holy and has a name! That name is JESUS. People all over the world believe in a higher power, a supreme being, a cosmic force, or a god of some type. But, our God has a name. The only holy name.
“Thy kingdom come,” shows us the future and gives us hope in what is awaiting us. His kingdom will come and we will be a huge part of it. I wrote about what Heaven will be like in a previous Heavenly Treasure. I hope you read it and read it again and again when you need hope.
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” is the most succinct, powerful description of sovereignty in the Bible. Not much I can add it but to remind you that, just as Jesus did in the Garden, we can pray for things we want from God, but ultimately it is HIS will that will be done.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” reminds us that He is our provider and we are His dependents and He will provide. Not what we think we need, but what He knows we need. And, it’s important to note that He is not just talking about food and our physical needs. Our daily bread includes what we need, financially, mentally, and spiritually as well.
“And forgive us our trespasses,” as we forgive those who trespass against us,” not only shows us God’s mercy toward us, but commands us to show that same mercy to others. Forgiveness is not something we do to absolve others of their wrong-doings, it’s something we do within ourselves to find peace.
“Lead us not into temptation,” is a line that makes me think of Glenna Salsbury the most. She would often use that line as a major teaching tool. I can still hear her say, “WHO are we asking not to lead us?” The answer, of course, is God. God leads us. Every day. Every direction. Every detour and destination. Every circumstance. Every step. All the time.
“But deliver us from evil,” teaches us that God alone is our deliverer, our hope, our salvation. He leads us and delivers us, which often feels like brokenness. Sometimes God needs to break us in order to deliver us. Sometimes He will lead us through pain and suffering so we can see the glory in the end. Read again Psalm 23, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”
Note the passive dependence on the words in these past few lines: GIVE, FORGIVE, LEAD, and DELIVER. They are most powerful and they are all actions we need from God.
“For thine is the kingdom,” the power, and the glory,” is a perfect description of the trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father controls the Kingdom. The Son is the activating power that saves us and gives us our new identity, and The Spirit is the glorifying glue that dwells within us.
“Forever and ever. AMEN.”
So, let’s conclude by putting it all together as we think about each word.
Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us form evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
AMEN!
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