The big ideaJesus taught his friends a simple way to pray: to the Father, with honest words.
How it works
This story has a made-up boy named Ben. He watches his grandma pray and asks her how. She tells him that the friends of Jesus asked Jesus the very same thing.
Jesus told them how not to pray: not out loud in the street just so that people would see. He told them to go into a quiet room, close the door and talk to their Father. He said not to pile up empty words, because their Father already knows what they need.
Then he showed them a pattern to follow, in six parts: Father, name, kingdom, bread, forgive, safe.
Prayer is talking with God, and it can be short, in your own words. Ben could talk to God anytime, with an honest heart and a quiet voice.
🫶Father🌅name🌷kingdom🥖bread🤝forgive🛤️safe
The pattern in six pictures.Two ways to pray.
Example 1: The six parts
Father: speak to God as a loving Father who cares.
Name: say that God's name is special. Kingdom: ask that God's kingdom comes.
Bread: ask for the food we need today. Forgive: ask to be forgiven, and forgive others.
Safe: ask to be kept from unkind choices.
Example 2: Daily bread
Daily bread means food for today, enough and not too much.
Ben smelled warm loaves baking and thought of thanking God for his food.
You can say thank you for your food too.
Example 3: Find a quiet spot
With a grown-up, find a quiet spot, and close the door if you can.
Thank God for something, ask for something you need, and say sorry for something.
Short is fine.
Words to know
daily bread
Food for today. It means enough, not too much.
forgive
To let go of a hurt and not hold it against someone.
kingdom
The place and people a king rules.
Watch out
Jesus said to keep it simple and true. A prayer does not need fancy words.
Daily bread means food for today. It does not mean bread for a whole year.
A kingdom is where a king rules. It is not a kind of bread.
Churches word the prayer in several traditional ways. This story tells it in everyday words.
Try it
Where did Jesus tell his friends to pray?
What does daily bread mean?
What does it mean to forgive?
Which is better: short and true, or long and loud?
Answers: 1. In a quiet room, with the door closed · 2. Food for today · 3. To let go of a hurt and not hold it against someone · 4. Short and true
Try at homeWith a grown-up, find a quiet spot. Thank God for something, ask for something you need, and say sorry for something. Short is fine.
For grown-upsFor a faith reviewer and for you: this is a retelling in everyday words, not the prayer as any church says it, so say your family's own words alongside it and let your child add theirs. Ben and his grandma are made-up.
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