by William Powell Tuck

Friends and relatives gathered around the grave of a seven-year-old boy and his young mother who had both died tragically. Some read Scriptures, others said comforting words, and then we were all asked to pray together the Lord’s Prayer. Hearts heavy with grief, eyes filled with tears, voices thick with sadness, tongues struggling with uncertainty about the right words to say in such a moment, we joined together in the model prayer that Jesus taught his disciples two thousand years ago. The words seemed to convey a calm reassurance to all present.

Few prayers are as familiar as the Lord's Prayer. But has our constant repetition of the words made the richness of the prayer grow dim? Every word and petition is filled with powerful images. Repetition without understanding cannot be adequate. A reflective study of Jesus' model prayer can enable us to understand and follow more clearly the teaching of this prayer.

Our familiarity with the model prayer has sometimes caused us to miss its impact. Prayer is seldom easy. It requires time, discipline, study, reflection, and commitment when genuine spiritual growth is desired. By examining each petition of The Lord's Prayer, I hope we can move beyond a rote recitation of it and explore the depths of its meaning for our daily life. There is no better teacher of prayer than our Lord himself.

Although our Lord never left his disciples anything in written form, this prayer was written indelibly on their minds. Jesus was seeking to give his disciples guidance in avoiding mechanical, ritualistic, ostentatious, and meaningless repetition when they prayed. His short, simple phrases move us to focus on the divine presence of God as we converse with God and to be reminded of our dependence on God and our responsibility to others. Jan Lochman has reminded us that "the arc of the prayer spans the whole of cosmic reality with its heights and its depths."1

We often see prayer as an escape from responsibility and service and a call to private reflection. The Lord’s Prayer compels us to remember others as we seek to draw near to God. This prayer cannot be exhausted by study or repetition. Its message is timeless and as modern as our latest technological advances. In these pages I invite the reader to take a spiritual journey down the pathway of The Lord's Prayer that I believe will lead to a deeper commitment to the Lord of this prayer and a greater awareness of the rich meaning of what it means to pray. Karl Barth, one of the great theologians of the twentieth century, has reminded us that "the first and basic act of theological work is prayer."2

I want to thank Carolyn Stice, my secretary for ten years, for typing these pages through several drafts. She was always not only efficient but also gracious in her praise and encouragement. Special thanks is also extended to Daphne Fletcher, my present secretary, for all her work in getting this manuscript completed for publication. My gratitude also to the congregations I have served and with whom I have been privileged to share my thoughts on The Lord's Prayer.