The last part of the prayer that Jesus taught is what I learned as a child. Later, I was told that this part was not in the earliest manuscripts:
“For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13).
Even if Matthew did not include this line, it seems a fit way to end the prayer in the tone it was given. His kingdom is His kingdom, His power, and His glory forever — and so be it.
MacArthur quotes an unknown author’s thoughts and they are so profound that I want to quote them also:
“I cannot say ‘our’ if I live only for myself in a spiritual, watertight compartment. I cannot say ‘Father’ if I do not endeavor each day to act like His child. I cannot say ‘who art in heaven’ if I am laying up no treasure there.
“I cannot say ‘hallowed be Thy name’ if I am not striving for holiness. I cannot say ‘Thy kingdom come’ if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful day. I cannot say ‘Thy will be done‘ if I am disobedient to His Word. I cannot say ‘in earth as it is in heaven’ if I will not serve Him here and now.
“I cannot say ‘give us . . . our daily bread’ if I am dishonest or an ‘under the counter’ shopper. I cannot say ‘forgive us our debts’ if I harbor a grudge against anyone. I cannot say ‘lead us not into temptation’ if I deliberately place myself in its path. I cannot say ‘deliver us from evil’ if I do not put on the whole armor of God.
“I cannot say ‘thine is the kingdom’ if I do not give to the King the loyalty due Him as a faithful subject. I cannot attribute to Him ‘the power’ if I fear what men may do. I cannot ascribe to Him ‘the glory’ if I am seeking honor only for myself. I cannot say ‘forever’ if the horizon of my life is bounded completely by the things of time.”
This study of how Jesus wants me to pray has had a strong effect, partly because the needs and prayer requests of the past few weeks have been serious and heavy on my heart. A young woman is caught in satanic schemes. A relative is highly involved in a Christ-denying cult. A young man aged 39 had a heart attack and died, leaving a wife, children and a shocked and grieving family. A refugee living in a relatively safe country for seven years and nearing the day when she and her family can come to Canada has been detained by the police.
Besides those burdens, I’ve been working with deadlines, given a large responsibility by a non-profit organization that I belong to, asked to lead a woman’s prayer group, encouraged to organize a family reunion involving more than 200 people, and am sitting in an airport waiting to fly to another city to deliver a gift to a family member. That means not attending the funeral of the 39-year-old and wanting to be in two places at once. I could whine about my aches and pains but refuse to give in to self-pity. Why? Because I’m in God’s kingdom, relying on His power, for His glory, praying about forever stuff and that His will be done — in all those needs and in those things He calls me to do.
Jesus, applying this prayer to my prayers is relatively easy, but I know that I need to ‘think’ these things, not merely say them. The prayer is too easy to recite rather than expand and apply to life’s burdens and troubles. Help me focus on Your kingdom and glory and rely on Your strength. You know how helpless I feel and how much I need You.
MORE: Read the Lord’s prayer in John 17 paying attention to His priorities as He prayed.
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