Each week, Moravians across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean share a common message through their Sunday bulletins.
This month, we share insights which expound on Luke 11:1-13 Thanks to writers past and present for their contributions to the Moravian bulletin series.
He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” So he said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, may your name be revered as holy.
May your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything out of friendship, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for[e] a fish, would give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asked for an egg, would give a scorpion? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
From the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
“. . . As We Forgive . . .”
Charlie McDonald, pastor, Chaska Moravian Church, Chaska, Minn. • July 27, 2025
Usually someone learns what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” very early in life, given a church-oriented upbringing. The reason we have received this gift of a prayer is because one of the disciples of Christ was brave enough to ask for it.
When we look at it, it’s not a very complicated string of words, as seen in the text according to the writer of Luke. Not many things are said, but a wealth of meaning is still conveyed. It is worth noting, however, that translations vary, for this short and powerful prayer.
So what is contained in this prayer? A reminder to respect and revere God. A wish for God’s kingdom not to be contained in heaven, but to be seen throughout creation. A petition for forgiveness, and a reminder to be forgiving in return. And finally a request for deliverance. Within these simple appeals to the Most High we find references to the commandments, a reminder of the thesis statement of Jesus’ ministry, a conviction of those praying to live their faith, and a rededication to humility before God, among so many other references that Jesus weaves in.
What’s often glossed over in this prayer is the economic tone of the petition for forgiveness—which we see in the English translation that many Christians use: “Forgive us our debts.” Perhaps this is an invitation to ponder why that is, and what it would mean to refocus in this way. What does it mean to forgive those indebted to us? What does it mean to practice biblical Jubilee? What does God’s reign look like in a world ruled by money and human greed? Most importantly, what does it look like when the things we pray for transform the way we treat one another?
Lord, Teach Us How to Pray
Eulencine Christopher, co-pastor, South Florida Moravian Pastorate • July 24, 2022
Prayer is the lifeline of the child of God. Jesus himself spent time in prayer as a regular practice. Recognizing the value that Jesus placed on prayer, his disciples wanted to learn how to pray. Jesus did not ask anyone to teach his disciples how to pray. He taught them himself.
This prayer, taught by Jesus, is a model prayer even for us today. In The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus highlights some crucial components of prayer. Essentially, he wants us to praise God; to understand that God provides daily; to be concerned with and practice forgiveness; and finally to be persistent in prayer.
Praising God sets the tone for communication with God and puts one in a frame of mind to worship God, as opposed to going shopping, just asking God for things. Jesus wants us to understand that God provides sustenance day by day, not weekly or monthly or on special occasions; we must daily draw from God’s abundance. Jesus advocates daily communication with God, not only asking, but giving thanks for blessings received.
Jesus also addresses the matter of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not an option. It is necessary, for self and for others. God has forgiven our sins; so it is only fair that a concerted effort is made to forgive all those who have wronged us. To forgive or be forgiven is to restore broken relationship with God and each other. It is important therefore not only to accept God’s forgiveness, but to practice forgiving each other, promoting love and reconciliation.
Jesus invites us to persistent prayer, understanding that God answers prayer. That’s why Jesus, knowing the importance of prayer, taught his disciples how to pray.
The Personal Nature of Prayer
Rick Beck, pastor, Good Shepherd Moravian Church, Calgary, Alberta • July 28, 2019
We are not unlike the disciples. We too want to know how to pray “correctly,” using the right words, the right rituals. We want the assurance that God listens favorably, so we may approach God freely and with peace.
Prayer had become complicated, something the priest did on behalf of the people. But the disciples witnessed Jesus praying often, and it was personal. “Teach us to pray,” they asked. And we’ve been saying The Lord’s Prayer ever since. This is one of the Christian expressions that we share unaltered with all Christians. But has it become so routine that we don’t think about what it means to us personally?
Take time to ponder each phrase of this prayer. Write down your thoughts. How might your heart make it fresh and personal? An example might look like this:
Breath of all living, whose true self dwells in the heart of all creation,
you are Holy, beyond comprehension yet intimately known.
May the desire of your heart be the reality of our living.
Make us mindful of your abundant generosity, to share what we have with those who have not.
May we find life in your forgiveness for ourselves and for others.
May the distractions of life not overwhelm us but invite us to see you in their presence.
For the desire of your heart is our desire, the power that we share is your power, the glory that we celebrate is your glory in every eternal moment.
Like you, your prayer will be unique. It may follow Jesus’ words or be completely different. There’s no right or wrong way to pray. It’s the desire to pray that makes it prayer.
Your Kingdom Come
Hermann Weinlick, retired pastor, Minneapolis, Minnesota • July 28, 2013
What we have come to call The Lord’s Prayer appears in two of the four Gospels, Matthew and Luke. Luke’s version is a little shorter. In both Matthew and Luke, Jesus instructs us to pray for “the kingdom of God,” which I understand as life, in time or eternity, that is in tune with God’s will.
The three petitions that follow suggest three aspects of God’s intent and, I hope, our intent as disciples of the Jesus through whom we understand God most clearly—though still dimly (1 Corinthians 13:12): for bread, for forgiveness, for avoiding trial. A healthy faith seeks these three for all people: satisfied physical needs, healthy human relationships, faithfulness toward God.
Certainly some Christians emphasize one and neglect the others. Some seek bread—for themselves or for others—and pay less attention to relationships. Some stress human relationships but are less concerned about our relationship to God. Some focus on relationship with God and minimize human needs.
If we are to be faithful, we need to remember that God wants all three to be evident where God rules. This is Jesus’ prayer for the church, for those who are Jesus’ disciples, people who take from Jesus their cues about what really is important. And the task of the church of Jesus is to show the world what is important to God.
How well are we as individuals balancing these concerns: satisfied physical needs, healthy human relationships, faithfulness toward God? Are we as a congregation showing the world an inviting and healthy blend of these three? Can others see in us signs of “the kingdom of God”?
Learning to pray
Kurt Liebenow, pastor, Christian Faith Moravian Church, DeForest, Wisconsin • July 25, 2010
Jesus instructs the disciples, “ask” God and it will be given to you, “seek” and you will find, “knock” and the door will be opened. A person once said to me that he would believe in Jesus when what he asked for from God would be given to him. I inquired about what he asked for and was told that he has asked for one million dollars and that his deceased wife would return to life. We had quite an interesting conversation after that.
So what is this asking, seeking, and knocking on doors we are to do? The context is that Jesus’ words are his response to the disciples, who asked to be taught to pray. They knew that the good they saw in Jesus came as a result of how he prayed. As disciples, they thought it would be prudent to learn from the Master.
The instruction to ask, seek, and knock might not be so much about how to pray, but what we should expect from the One on the other side of our prayers. We are to ask because God listens and helps us meet our needs. We are to seek because God is a perfect GPS system to get us through the roadways of daily life. We are to knock because God is ready to receive us when we are willing to come to the threshold of God’s door.
When we have the right appreciation of God in our prayers, then what we receive, find, and have access to will allow us to pray as Jesus prayed. For that assurance we can all say, “Amen!”
