Daily Devotion for March 13 - Luke 11:1 - 4

Verse

Luke 11:1-4 – "Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.' And He said to them, 'When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'”

Meditation

Prayer is not instinctive; it is learned. The disciples, seeing Jesus in prayer, recognized their own need to be taught. In response, Jesus gives them the perfect model—the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer begins with God, His holiness, and His kingdom before turning to our daily needs and our dependence upon His mercy. The petition for daily bread reminds us that all provision is from His hand, just as Israel received manna in the wilderness. The request for forgiveness ties our own absolution to our willingness to forgive others. And the plea for deliverance from temptation acknowledges our weakness and need for divine protection. Prayer is not about eloquence or length; it is about trust, humility, and communion with the Father. As Jesus prays, so must we—not to inform God of our needs but to be shaped by His will, resting in His provision, mercy, and strength.

Old Testament

Psalm 86:11 – "Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name."

The psalmist echoes the disciple’s request: to be taught how to walk in God’s ways, with a heart wholly devoted to Him.

Collect

Heavenly Father, who taught us to pray through Your Son, grant that we may call upon You with faith, seeking Your kingdom, trusting in Your provision, and resting in Your mercy, that we may walk in Your truth and live as Your forgiven children, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn Verse

“Our Father, who from heav’n above
Bids all of us to live in love
As members of one family
And pray to You in unity,
Teach us no thoughtless words to say,
But from our inmost hearts to pray.” (LSB 766:1)