A Family Prayer

We who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. —Romans 12:5

Throughout the Lord’s Prayer, we don’t see the words “me,” “my,” or “I.” Instead, nine times we read “our,” “us,” and “we.” This is not a self-centered prayer. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we’re praying in communion and relationship with all other believers in Christ. They are our brothers and our sisters; He is our Father. We may pray alone or with other people, but we’re never approaching God alone. Rather we’re approaching Him as members of His entire family.

So as we come to God, we want to not just be mindful of how something affects us. We can’t express our own concerns, needs, or desires to God apart from consideration of our brothers’ and sisters’ needs.

That gives a whole new scope and magnitude to prayer. We’re lifting up not only our own needs to the Lord but the needs of believers all over the world. We may not know who they are or what they’re going through, but God knows, and we’re coming together to His throne through prayer.