TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 6:5-15
TO CHEW ON: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. " Matt. 6:6
Sometimes we do things with secret motives. Match the action on the left with a possible reason for doing it on the right.
One of the things Jesus talked to His disciples about while on the mountain was the reason we do things. Though the people who see us may not know our motives, God always knows. It makes Him especially sad when we use things like prayer to impress others. That’s why He told the disciples – and us – to pray in private and not use praying to show off.
SUPERSIZE IT: The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus gave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. This is called “The Lord’s Prayer.” Maybe you know it.
We often think of prayer as only asking for things. But the Lord’s Prayer is made up of much more than that. Can you find examples of these kinds of prayer in The Lord’s Prayer?
Purple - Praise and worship (praising God for who he is and telling him how great he is)
Red - Confession (confessing the wrong things we’ve done)
Blue - Intercession (asking for things for others) and Petition (asking for things for ourselves)
You could print the Lord's Prayer, then mark each kind of prayer with a different color of highlighter pen or pencil crayon.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.