Tim Keller | May 20, 1990
The Lord’s Prayer isn’t just a way to pray—it’s a way to see your whole life with God at the center. Prayer helps us to realign our hearts with their real job—worshipping and lifting up God. The first thing we do in prayer is adore God, and from there it’s natural to admit our faults, confess what we’ve done wrong, and say we’re sorry. This helps us deal with feelings of guilt and worry.
1. Why do it?
When we feel guilty, saying we’re sorry is the best way to deal with it. We have to admit our real guilt, but also challenge the guilt we shouldn’t be feeling. This isn’t about science, it’s about what’s right and wrong, and what’s right and wrong comes from religion and morals. In the end, only God can truly help us deal with guilt, and that leads to feeling free and safe.
2. Jesus Christ teaches us here also the motivation for repentance
When we truly understand how much God loves us, forgives us, and accepts us, we want to change for the better. There’s a big difference between saying sorry because you’re afraid of punishment, and saying sorry because you’re moved by God’s love. The key is to know that we’re forgiven and have a relationship with Jesus, because these things make real change and freedom from guilt possible. Trying to say sorry for our sins without being sure of God’s love can actually do more harm than good.