Jesus teaches us to pray

Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus said, “Pray like this:”

Our Father in Heaven
(from Whom we all come in the image of Love),

may Your Name be kept holy
(in my life, in the life of the Church,
and in _______.)

May Your Kingdom of Love come,
and Your Will to love be done on earth
(in me and each of these _______
people, places, or situations)
as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread
(to feed us and ________
physically, mentally, and spiritually)

And forgive us our debts
(of wrongs against You and _______)
as we forgive our debtors
(who have treated us in an unloving way,
especially _______.)

Do not lead us into hard trials
(where we might do wrong or act unkindly),
but deliver us from evil
(hatred, bigotry, apathy, and _______.)

(For You have the Kingdom we want
and the power we need
to love and glorify You forever.)


© 2015, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s Bible reading in Matthew from translations provided on Bible Gateway. For a similar post that includes the traditional prayer, see “Praying with Jesus.”


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Praying the Beatitudes

Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain, sat down, and called His disciples to come close. He then taught them (and us!) the attitudes to aim for, pray for, and keep with confidence in His Name:

God bless you
who are humble in spirit
for the Kingdom of Heaven is yours.

God bless you who mourn
for God Himself will comfort you.

God bless you who are gentle
for you will inherit the earth!

God bless you who are hungry
and thirsty for all that is right
for you will be satisfied.

God bless you who are merciful.
God will show mercy to you.

God bless you who have pure hearts
and pure motives
for you shall see God clearly.

God bless you, Peacemakers!
You shall be called children of God.

God bless you who are persecuted
for following God’s will.
The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you.

God bless you who are insulted,
mistreated, and abused because
of your faith in Christ. Rejoice!
Be glad! What a huge reward
will greet you in Heaven
in the company of the prophets
who were treated as you have been.


© 2015, Mary Harwell Sayler prayer-a-phrased today’s Bible reading in Matthew from translations provided on Bible Gateway.

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Jesus prays in the Spirit

Filled with joy at the Disciple’s return, Jesus
prayed in the Holy Spirit:

Praise You, Father,
LORD of heaven and earth!

From clever people, You have hidden
things You show to those who come to You
like little children.

Yes! How this pleases You!

All things
have been entrusted to Me
by My Father,
for no one but the Father
really knows Who I Am,

and no one really knows
Who You are, Father,
except Your Son
and everyone
to whom I have shown You
and to whom I will make You known.

Luke 10:21-22

© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, a poet, writer, and lifelong lover of Christ, the Bible, and the church, researched today’s reading from the Gospels in translations on Bible Gateway before prayer-a-phrasing this poem.

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Jesus thanks God and calls us

And Jesus prayed,
Father, Lord of Heaven and earth,
thank You for showing childlike people
what You have hidden from those who
think themselves wise
for this pleases You.

Father, You have entrusted all things to Me,
and no one knows Me as Your Son
except You, My Father,
and no one really knows You
the Father except Me the Son and those
to whom the Son chooses to reveal You.

May all who tire of heavy burdens,
come to Me, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn
from Me because I Am
gentle and humble in Spirit, and you
will find rest for your souls.
For the yoke I will give you is easy,
and the load I will put on you is
light enough to be borne.


© 2013, Mary Sayler prayer-a-phrases the Daily Bible Reading from Matthew 11:25-30.

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