Slideshow image

Pray “Us,” Not Just “Me” – Thursday, 08/13/2026

Scripture: Acts 2:42–47; Matthew 6:9–13

The Lord’s Prayer is full of communal words.

Our Father.
Give us.
Forgive us.
Lead us.
Deliver us.

Jesus does not teach us to pray only for my bread, my forgiveness, my safety, my needs, and my future. The prayer is deeply personal, but it is never merely private.

It pulls us out of isolation.

When we pray for daily bread, we remember people who need food, work, housing, healthcare, encouragement, and hope. When we pray for forgiveness, we remember broken relationships and wounded communities. When we pray for deliverance from evil, we remember people living under violence, fear, addiction, injustice, despair, or pressure.

In Acts, the early church prayed, worshiped, shared meals, and cared for one another’s needs. Their prayer became a way of life together.

That is what the Lord’s Prayer does. It does not only comfort us. It sends us.

To share bread.
To practice mercy.
To notice the overlooked.
To seek peace.
To become part of how God answers someone else’s prayer.

Practice: Pray the Lord’s Prayer today and emphasize every plural word: our, us, we. Then choose one person or group to include in the prayer.

“Give us daily bread” for a hungry neighbor.
“Forgive us” for a strained relationship.
“Deliver us” for someone in danger or under pressure.

Prayer: God of all your children, teach me to pray beyond myself. Open my eyes to the needs of others. Let my life become part of your care for someone else. Make our church a community where prayer becomes bread, mercy, welcome, and hope. Amen.