THE LORD’S PRAYER
A 40-Day Devotional
A 40-DAY DEVOTIONAL
INTRODUCTION
The Lord’s Prayer is the most well-known prayer in history. It is memorised by millions, prayed in churches and kitchens, whispered at weddings and funerals. Yet it is far more than familiar words; it’s a framework for living.
When Jesus taught this prayer ( Matthew 6:9-13 ), he wasn’t offering a spiritual formula; he was giving us a vision of life with God. Each line reveals what matters most: God’s priorities. It begins with the Father’s love, moves through worship, surrender, forgiveness and trust, and ends with eternal hope.
This forty-day devotional explores ten rich themes – each beginning with the letter ‘P’ – drawn from the Lord’s Prayer. Over four days per theme, you’ll reflect on God’s Personal love, Praise his name, align with his Purpose, adopt his Priority, and rely on his Provision. You’ll also walk in his Pardon, extend Peace, lean on the Spirit’s Presence, trust his Protection, and lift your eyes with Perspective.
Some Bibles conclude the prayer with ‘but rescue us from the evil one’. Others include the familiar doxology:
‘For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’ This final line, added by early Christians in worship, reflects biblical truth (see 1 Chronicles 29:11) and beautifully concludes the prayer with praise.
Let’s begin by praying the words Jesus gave us in Matthew 6:9-13 : Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
DAY 1: PERSONAL
‘Our Father in heaven’
(Matthew 6:9)
When Jesus taught us to pray, he didn’t start with ‘Almighty Creator’ or ‘Eternal Judge’. He began with two astonishing words: ‘Our Father.’ This is not a distant God but a close one, a Father who sees, hears, cares and knows us by name.
Jesus invites us into the same relationship with God that he enjoys. The God of the universe wants to be known personally, not formally. He’s not looking for performance, but presence. We don’t approach him like servants at a palace gate; we come as beloved children running into the arms of a Father who delights in us.
This simple phrase reshapes everything. We are not orphans in the universe. We are not forgotten,
overlooked or insignificant. We are family. And if God is our Father, then we pray not alone, but in community: ‘Our’ Father. We’re part of a bigger family, and we share in the privileges and responsibilities of his household.
Take time today to sit with that word: Father. Say it aloud. Whisper it. Let it break through the noise of unworthiness or fear. Let it become the voice of truth and love.
Reflect
God is not a distant force to be feared but a loving Father to be known.
Prayer
Father God, thank you for calling me your child. Help me to trust in your love, to walk in your presence, and to never forget that I belong to you.
Amen.