Why Not Now?Намуна

Jesus Redefines Prayer

Jesus answers: “When you pray, say…”

Then He gives them what we call the Lord’s Prayer. You may have heard it recited in school or parliament. But Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way:

“Father, reveal who You are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with You and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil.”

See, I think many of us have gone back to the Old Testament way—focusing on our sin. That’s the devil’s trap. The Tabernacle was all about cleansing, sin, and sacrifice.

But Jesus starts with relationship: “Our Father.” In Aramaic: Abba. Daddy—not in a childish way, but in reverence. There were no prayers before Jesus that called God “Abba.” They were all “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Then: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” That’s lordship. “I don’t know how to fix this, but you do.”

Then: “Give us this day our daily bread.” The Greek word here is used only twice in the New Testament. It means “everything on our list.” It even showed up on an ancient shopping list parchment.

What are you asking God for?

Scripture says, “You have not because you ask not.”

God wants to know what you want.