September 8
The Pattern
of Worship
Matthew 6:9-10
“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’
Daily Steps
Before Jesus taught His followers to pray for their needs (Ask, Seek, Knock, Day 247), He established the priority of worship. This passage, the opening of the Lord's Prayer, gives the new believer the essential pattern for honoring God in prayer: approaching Him as Father while focusing first on His glory.
The peace in this principle is found in right prioritization:
Approaching the Father: We begin by addressing God intimately as Our Father in heaven. This acknowledges our dependence (Day 248) and the love we receive from Him. Yet, the phrase "in heaven" also reminds us of His ultimate Sovereignty (Day 219) and majesty.
The Priority of God's Glory: The first requests are entirely God-centered, establishing the proper focus for all prayer: hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done. We are to pray for the honor (hallowed) of His name, the expansion of His reign (kingdom come), and the execution of His divine will (Day 179) over our lives and the world.
The Result is Alignment: When our prayer begins with worship and focuses on God's glory before our own needs, it forces us into alignment with His purpose. This shift in perspective secures profound peace because it surrenders our individual anxieties (Day 223) to the greater, perfect plan of the God of hope (Day 226).
Your peace is secured by worshipful alignment. Embrace the Discipline of Prayer by focusing first on hallowing God's name and praying for the coming of His kingdom, knowing that placing Him first brings all your needs into right perspective.
Reflective Question
How quickly does your prayer usually shift from worship to petition (asking for your own needs)? What is one specific attribute of God (e.g., faithfulness, wisdom, love) that you can focus on hallowing in your prayer today before you mention any personal request?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise You as Our Father in heaven. I confess my tendency to make prayer about me. I pray for the discipline to prioritize Your glory: hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth and in my life. Secure my peace today in the knowledge that when I worship You first, all my concerns are perfectly ordered in Your sight. Amen.
