The Lord’s Prayer is a model for prayer.1 It teaches Christians how their prayers should be shaped. The first three petitions focus on God and the purposes of his kingdom. The second three petitions focus on the physical and spiritual needs of kingdom citizens. Though the prayer was adapted for liturgical use in the early church (Didache),2 and though it is a good practice to pray the words of the prayer themselves, Christians are not limited to praying the exact words that Jesus has given. It is not a mantra to be repeated mindlessly.3
9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.