Such a great topic! I believe prayer brings a change in the person's heart more than change in circumstance. Through prayer, God molds the person for the circumstance He has placed him or her in.. Often we try to take prayer as a means of simply putting our petitions to Lord.. When we approach prayer with an open heart, we would see amazing transformations in us..
Yes, I agree, it is a great topic. I also agree that prayer brings a change in the person's heart more than change in the circumstance.
If we examine how Jesus taught his disciples to pray, it appears it would go along with your belief. The Lord's prayer is a great prototype for prayer, and what it does, and what it is for.
Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name. - I like that word hallow. To me its saying holy, or sacred is the name of the Father, and we should first give him praise, and recognize his awesomeness in our prayer.
Your kingdom come, your will be done. - I think this part goes along with what Rav was saying. Of course no matter what, Gods Will, will be done, and his kingdom will come. But I think saying this, helps us to recognize it, and humbles as at the same time.
Give us today our daily bread. - Again, I think this is a humbling thing to ask, and is about our hearts being changed. Give us our daily bread, give us wisdom, so that we are not relying on our own but His. Plus the fact that it says daily to me means this is an ongoing process.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. - It's one thing to ask for forgiveness, but it says forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. To me it's referring to the heart again. We should be forgiving others if we expect God to forgive us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. - I think this is saying, "Lord, don't let me be led into a situation where I am tempted to shoot someone in their face that is breaking into my home, but deliver me from the evil people in this world that would force me to do so."