I try to pray for my family on a regular basis. And the pattern Jesus gave us in the Lord’s Prayer helps me focus. The words help me stay on track in my prayers. Just as the Lord’s Prayer is a wonderful guide for adults, it offers meaning for kids too.
Read on to discover suggestions for saying the Lord’s Prayer with your kids. The tips work whether you’re teaching Sunday school, leading children’s church, or holding at-home family devotions.
Pray the Lord’s Prayer With Kids
First, here’s the wording of the Lord’s Prayer:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:9-13
Here’s a phrase-by-phrase guide for praying the Lord’s prayer with kids:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.” (9)
When we start with this, we acknowledge that God is our Father. He cares about us and our family deeply. God adopted us as his own children through Jesus, and as our Father he hears our prayers. He has a family he cares deeply about, so I know he cares for my family. I don’t always start with this. But when I do, it encourages my faith to bring my cares to him.
“Hallowed be your name” or “Holy is your name.” When we pray this, we acknowledge that our Father is infinitely holy, righteous, and pure. In a sense, we bow before God. We humble ourselves before his holiness and glory and power. We take a moment to think about who we’re praying to.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven. (10)
God’s kingdom is his rule, specifically his spiritual rule. Although he is King over the whole universe and earth, through Jesus the King, God brings his rule into our lives when he saves us. I ask the Lord to bring his rule into the lives of every one of our children, our grandchildren and descendants, and save every one until Jesus returns.
Include Other Promises From the Bible
Often I pray one of the many promises for parents God has spoken in his word. For example:
The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you. PSALM 102:28
“My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore.” ISAIAH 59:21
Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. PSALM 112:1-2
God makes many more promises to save our offspring. So I pray he will save every one of our children and descendants until he returns.
I also ask the Lord, as part of bringing his kingdom rule into our lives, that Kristi and I and all our descendants will know him, love him, and delight in him and his Word. I ask that we will lead lives worthy of the gospel and bear much fruit for him. You can do the same as you pray the Lord’s Prayer with your kids.
Give us this day our daily bread (11)
I try to remember to thank the Lord for how abundantly he always provides for us and our children. I ask God to provide for our needs. For example, I might ask him to provide money for us to travel to visit our children and grandchildren in other states. And I ask him for any other needs and ask our generous Father to provide for our kids.
