Learning to pray together
Family worship guide · theme: The Lord's Prayer · ages 3–14 · 15 min
Opening
Ask: if you could ask for one thing from someone who loves you very much, how would you ask? Would you need fancy words? Lots of words? Listen to everyone before reading.
Reading
An adult reads v. 5–8. Then read together, out loud and slowly, the prayer in v. 9–13, pausing after each line so a child can say in their own words what it means. A teenager reads v. 14–15.
5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 9So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 10Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
Teaching
Before teaching the prayer, Jesus corrects two mistakes: praying to be seen (v. 5) and thinking that many words will convince God (v. 7). The reason is comforting: the Father “knows what you need before you ask Him” (v. 8). Praying is not informing God; it is trusting Him. Then comes the model, and everything in it is plural: our Father, our bread, forgive us. This prayer was made to be prayed together, and the family is the first community.
The order also teaches: God first (His name, His kingdom, His will), then us (bread, forgiveness, protection). Asking for His name to be hallowed is asking for God to be treated as unique and worthy. The “daily” bread teaches us to ask for today's, without stockpiling anxiety. And the only request Jesus comments on afterward is forgiveness (v. 14–15). For anyone whose father was absent or harsh, the word Father can hurt: Jesus shows a Father who sees in secret and cares.
Conversation
For little ones
- When we pray, who are we talking to?
For kids
- Which part of the Lord's Prayer do you think is most important? Why?
- What does it mean to ask for today's bread, and not the whole week's?
For teens
- If God already knows what we need, why pray? What does v. 8 suggest about that?
For adults
- Do my prayers start with God or go straight to the list of requests? What would change if I followed the order of the Lord's Prayer?
Activity
The Lord's Prayer in pictures: divide the prayer into six parts (God's name, the kingdom, His will, bread, forgiveness, protection). Each person picks a part and draws it or writes it in their own words. Put together a poster and pray together following the drawings.
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, thank You that You see us in secret and know what we need. Today we ask You for the bread of ___. Forgive us for ___ and help us forgive ___. Deliver our home from evil and teach us to pray together, without hurry and without putting on a show. Yours is the kingdom. Amen.
Blessing
2 Corinthians 13:14
During the week
Every night, pray the Lord's Prayer together and stop at one request to fill in with real life: bread (what do we need today?), forgiveness (who do we need to forgive?), protection (what are we afraid of?). Anyone who lives alone or is the only believer at home can do this by text with a friend.