Matthew 6:12b

When we are reminded of just how much we have been forgiven, we also should pray that we would forgive others  There are people that have wronged us in our lives, and we are presented with two ways we deal with these people.  The first way, which is the wrong way, is to hold a grudge, be spiteful, or other sinful means.  The second way is what Jesus tells us; we should forgive them.  We must remember just how much wrong we did toward God and how we are still forgiven.  In turn, when we are faced with those who have wronged us, we should have the same forgiving attitude that God had for us.  Are you holding a grudge, or are you showing Christ’s forgiveness by forgiving others?

Matthew 6:12a

As Lord and Creator, God is due perfect obedience from all mankind, but sin disables us from doing so, and we are in debt to Him.  If one does not pay a debt, the debtor would be reprimanded for it.  Because we cannot pay our debt to God, we deserve punishment.  However, Christ paid the debts of His people by giving up His own life in order that their debts may be paid.  When we pray to be forgiven of our debts, we remind ourselves that we owe Christ our lives because He paid our debts to save us.  This is also a reminder for us to pray that He would change our lives, so that we may glorify Him by obeying Him.

Matthew 6:11

All blessings come from God, and this includes the food we eat each day.  We should rely on Christ to provide what we need each day.  We should trust that God knows what we need and that He will sustain us. We should not be anxious, worrying about what will be on the dinner table, but we should have faith that God will give us what we need to meet our physical needs.  This helps us to continue to trust in Christ when times get hard, and we can find peace and comfort in Him when we are going through a troubling event.  Jesus reminded us earlier that God provides for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and He will surely take care of His people. 

Do you trust in God for your salvation, but not for your daily means?  We should find comfort in that Christ, who provides salvation, also provides our daily bread.

Matthew 6:10b

When we pray that God’s will would be done, we are talking about two important responsibilities.  The first is that we should commit ourselves to learning all we can about His will, which means we should be studying His Word.  The second responsibility is that we do His will with the power of the Holy Spirit enabling us to do so.  We may say we want to do God’s will, but we may be torn between His will and our sinful desires.  We should genuinely pray that He would help us to do His will and put off our sinful ways. 

Do you spend time studying the Bible do discern God’s will, or is that something that you let the pastor do for you? Do you truly want to do God’s will, or do you prefer your sinful habits more?

Matthew 6:10a

We often anticipate the coming of the kingdom of God as the final consummation seen in Revelation.  However, God’s kingdom is past, present, and future, and His kingdom is here on earth now, as Christ is reigning in the hearts of believers and in the church.  We show others the kingdom of God by showing them Christ in our actions, words, and sharing of the Gospel.  We anticipate the second coming of Christ and are ready to see Him face to face, but there is still kingdom work for us to do today because the kingdom is already here. 

Are you just sitting around waiting for Jesus to return, or are you showing the lost that they can be a part of the kingdom that is here, right now, in the hearts of believers?

Matthew 6:9c

The word “hallowed” here means to be set apart, and we should set God above all things in our lives.  We should glorify and praise Him for who He is as our Lord, Creator, and Savior.  We should hold high the name of God because as Acts 4:12 says, there is no other name under which can be saved than His.  We often find that God’s name is used very loosely today, and it is not being revered.  Jesus reminds us of the respect and high regard that we should have for the name of God in this verse. 

Do you revere the Lord’s name, or do you let it loosely slip off of your tongue when you are angry or upset?

Matthew 6:9b

Jesus tells us to pray to our Father in Heaven.  Think about that for a second.  We can consider God as our father.  No matter if you had a good or bad earthly father, we know that we have an amazing Heavenly Father who we can come and pray to.  As our Heavenly Father, God loves His children, and He cares for them.  When we begin with this, we are reminded that God always does what is best for His children, whether we see it or not.  This helps humble us, knowing that no matter what we are going through, God has our best interests at heart.