I have yet another question that I would like to ask. I have been watching parts of the Jesus of Nazareth movie. In the movie, Jesus, while on the sermon on the mount, talks about how to pray. Jesus then says what I think is called the Lord’s Prayer. Before I go to sleep at night after saying my normal everyday prayers, I like to repeat this prayer to God. Is this okay to do? I feel like it is okay to do, but I am not sure if it is okay to repeat it… I do mean the words that it says in the prayer; I just wanted to know if that was okay to do. As always, thanks for your help; God bless!
Sincerely,
The Reiterator
Dear The Reiterator,
We aren’t required to pray the exact words of the Lord’s model prayer (which is found in Matt 6:9-13Matt 6:9-13
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
9 After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one.]
WP-Bible plugin), but there is nothing wrong with sincerely repeating those words… with one exception. One of the things that Jesus prayed for in that prayer has already happened. When Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come…”, He was praying that the church would be established. Jesus’ kingdom, also known as the church, has already come. That kingdom began on the day of Pentecost when three thousand people were baptized and entered Jesus’ kingdom (Acts 2:37-41Acts 2:37-41
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
37 Now when they heard [this,] they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?
38 And Peter [said] unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.
40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation.
41 They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added [unto them] in that day about three thousand souls.
WP-Bible plugin). The apostle Paul said that christians have already entered into the kingdom (Col 1:13Col 1:13
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
WP-Bible plugin). Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to pray that the kingdom comes. However, it would be appropriate to pray that the kingdom (church) would expand, grow, and be further established.
Other than that one detail, everything that Jesus said in that prayer is perfectly appropriate today for a christian to pray.