Prayer: Make It Personal

Using the Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:7-13 (ESV)

 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹ Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread,
¹² and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil."

To make this personal one needs to change the pronouns. It is easy to read it with the plural of you but it reads differently when you change the pronouns to I and me in verses 11- 13. Try reading it this way.

“My Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give me this day my daily bread,
¹² and forgive me my debts,
    as I also have forgiven my debtors.
¹³ And lead me not into temptation,
    but deliver me from evil."

I especially like how verses 12 &13 read in the Amplified version, 

"And forgive us our debts, as we (I) also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our (my) debtors.¹³ And lead (bring) us  (me) not into temptation, but deliver us (me) from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." 

I personalized this too. It gives one a better idea of what forgiving one's debtor's is to be like. I imagine prayer as a personal and intimate conversation with my Heavenly Father who loves me and care about me. Jesus prayed bold prayers and I can too. I have seen many answers to prayer that I have often felt like a spoiled Heavenly Daddy's girl. Recently, God answered my prayer to sustain my earthly father so that I was able to visit with him last month as his health is failing him. On more the one occasion He has given me peace in my turmoil.

It is my hope and prayer that you will be encouraged to make your prayers more intimate knowing that God cares for you. I leave you with this verse.

  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18,

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

My disclaimer: I know that every believer's relationship to God is different and unique. You may not have the same experiences and that is okay. I am sharing because I want to bring Him the glory for what He is doing in me and impart to you what I have learned from His word.