Luke 11:1-13 (NRSV)
Read Luke 11:1-13 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 11He 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." Verse 2He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Verse 3Give us each day our daily bread. Verse 4And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." Verse 5And 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; Verse 6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' Verse 7And 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.' Verse 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. Verse 9"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. Verse 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Verse 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Verse 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? Verse 13If 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!"
Devotion
In Luke's version of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus declares that the best gift God wants to give us is the Holy Spirit. "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!’" The best gift to pray for, therefore, is not a car, house, wealth, or other things we wish we could have, but the Holy Spirit.
In the Small Catechism, Luther reminds us that God's kingdom comes to us "whenever our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that through the Holy Spirit's grace we believe God's holy word and live godly lives..." Similarly, when we pray "hallowed be your name," we are asking that God's name "becomes holy in and among us."
In the Lord's Prayer, we pray that God would take over our lives, live in us, put the Spirit in us and guide our lives for God's glory. We are asking God, that is, to do whatever God wants to do with us. We open our hands and say: "God, give us whatever you think we need to keep your name holy."
Prayer
Merciful Father, let your name be holy in and among us. Let your reign come to us. Help us to be thankful for all the blessings we receive each day. Guide us to forgive heartily and do good gladly to those who sin against us. Deliver us from all evil and give us courage and confidence in times of trial. Amen!