WHAT ARE 5 THINGS GOD WANTS FOR YOU EVERY DAY?  Happiness? Health? Success? Prosperity? Achievement? Maybe.  But there are 5 things we can be sure of…

The 5 things God wants for you every day are found in one of the most well-known passages of Scripture.  Almost all Christians memorize it.  Almost all church traditions recite it, at least from time to time.  But most of us don’t reflect on the power of it!

[Jesus said] “Pray then like this: “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, ESV)

A question came to mind as I read this again and reflected on it a few weeks back.  Why would Jesus tell us to ask for these things?  I wouldn’t tell my kids to ask me for something, unless that’ what I wanted them to have!  So, let’s look at these requests of this famous prayer and get a clear picture of the life God wants us to have.

  1. A Life with God at the center.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

This request reminds us that nothing will work they way it should, until God is at the center.  When we remember that He is on the throne, we will desire that He be honored.  Remember, there is no Kingdom of God, without God being the King.  To want Him at the center is to want all of our lives to revolve around His goodness, His power and His beauty.

  1. A Life lived in God’s will.

Your kingdom come, your will be done.

This request reminds us that neither prayer, nor life is essentially about getting God to act on our concerns.  But prayer is about us wanting what God wants.  And life is experienced when God’s desires are fulfilled.  What does God want?  All that God wants is offered and demonstrated in Jesus Christ.  He wants all to know the light and life of His reconciling love.

  1. A Life of daily abundance.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Does daily bread sound like abundance?  This is not the abundance that seeks to feed our greed.  It isn’t the abundance of stuffed barns, packed basements and fat bank accounts.  It is the abundance of a loving, generous father who lays before us a full plate each evening at dinner.  It is an abundance enjoyed in trustful dependence.

  1. A Life filled with mercy.

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

God paid the price of justice and offered us mercy.  And he wants us to experience it.  We can’t experience it if we don’t offer it.  Mercy is enjoyed as we offer it.  Mercy that never extends to others decays and becomes self-righteous entitlement.  This generous mercy is always aware that no one has offended us as much as we’ve offended God.

  1. A Life of daily salvation.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

To be delivered is to be “saved.”  The cry for daily deliverance comes from an awareness of the power of the enemy and the power of our own flesh to pry our attention and affections from the very One who holds life in His hands.  Our life is delivered from sin every time God gives us the power to walk toward Him in loving obedience.

God at the center;  An obsessive desire for God’s will; daily abundance; receiving and giving mercy; daily salvation… this is the life God wants for you and me.  It is the life He has told us to pray for simply because it is what He wants to give to us.  And asking is essential.  None of these can be obtained by our talent, our strength, our cleverness, or our man-made desires.  These are gifts of grace.  And gifts cannot be obtained, or earned. They must be given.