Fifty-Seven Words That Change The World: A Journey Through The Lord's Prayer

by Darrell W. Johnson

The Lord’s Prayer encompasses every dimension of our human existence. We are physical creatures so he teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” and “your kingdom (of wholeness and health) come.” We are relational creatures so he teaches us to pray, “Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors.” We are spiritual creatures so he teaches us to pray, “your name be hallowed,” for we cannot live without knowing the name of him who made us, and “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Furthermore, the Lord’s Prayer encompasses all of time: past, present, future. Our greatest need as we look to the past is forgiveness, so he teaches us to pray, “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Our greatest need as we look to the present is sustenance, so he teaches us to pray, “give us this day our daily bread.” Our greatest need as we look to the future is guidance and protection from all that would threaten to undo us. So he teaches us to pray, “lead us not into temptation, but rescue us from the evil-one who seeks to destroy us.”