Does it do much good to say memorized prayers like the Lord's Prayer?

Question

Is it even a prayer if we are just repeating memorized words?

Answer 1

Since the beginning, Jesus' followers have memorized the Lord's Prayer and used it in their worship. And with good reason, because He gave it to His disciples as an example or model for them to follow. (You can find it recorded in the Bible, in Matthew 6:9-13.)

At the same time, simply saying a memorized prayer doesn't accomplish anything if we aren't paying attention to its meaning and saying it from our hearts. In fact, such a "prayer" isn't even a prayer in God's sight, because we are only repeating empty words. Just before He gave the Lord's Prayer to His disciples, Jesus warned them against this: "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words" (Matthew 6:7, NKJV).

Take a few minutes to read through the Lord's Prayer, and ask God to help you make its truth part of your life. You will note that it begins with praise—and praise should be part of our prayers. It also asks for God's will to be done on earth—and we should be seeking God's will for our lives. It concludes by asking God to meet our needs and keep us from evil. These requests should also be part of our prayer life.

The Lord's Prayer is a good place to start—but don't end there! You can come to God every moment of the day, because He loves you and has opened heaven's door for you through Christ's death and resurrection.

Granny

Answer 2

Some other answerers have covered most of the ground on this, but here's my (atheist) perspective. In quantum physics, observing something with expectation - putting mental energy into what would expects - has been shown to have a discrete influence on the nature of the thing being observed. So we can change things by observing them with expectation. Prayers are like ritual words with an expectation of being heard, and even of some positive result, when we say them. The older and the more repeated a prayer is, the deeper the groove is makes in the fabric of reality - if gods do exist, it's like it's easier for them to recognise a well-known prayer than a new one. But if we're using only sound energy, not thought energy, then it weakens the strength of our ability to be "heard" as it were. So if you think about and mean the words, an old, much-rehearsed prayer might do a lot of good. If you're just mumbling along, you're probably not mustering the required energy to do much good...;o)

Answer 3

The Lord's Prayer is really a model, or outline, if you will, about how to pray. It wasn't intended to be a rote prayer that people repeat and then expect to get answered.

If you were to break down the prayer into its component parts, and then use your own words in those parts, meaning them from your heart, you would have better results, than if you just repeated the original words.

Answer 4

Prayers on a personal level should come from the heart, It doesn't hurt to say the Lords Prayer or the Prayer of Jabez or the Prayer in the 6th chapter of Numbers, but to get down to seriously contending for the faith or salvation of others it has to get personal. When we pray for others salvation if we don't shed tears do we really care. Doesn't the Bible say to go in the closet and Pray in secret and God will reward the openly.

Answer 5

No, dear one, it doesn't do any good to just repeat memorized words and call it a prayer. God looks to our heart and God knows what our motive is. If the words are empty, God knows that.

The Lord' Prayer is a prayer that Jesus taught his disciples. Take each line, dear one, and dwell on it and see what you're really saying. When you say "Our Father"..... realize that only a child of God - a child that has asked Jesus into their heart, can actually say "Our Father"..... and it be true. When you say, "Hallowed be thy name", your praising Him and calling Him holy. When you say, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"... you're saying as Your kingdom comes, Your will will be done on earth just like it is in heaven, and on and on..... When you work through the prayer and understand what you are actually saying, it's a very beautiful prayer to our Creator God. There is Praise, Thanksgiving, Petition, and Praise. And you're saying it all to our wonderful Savior and Lord. I hope this was helpful.

Answer 6

If you are just mouthing the words without a thought in your head, yes it is meaningless.

Just because it is a prayer that is memorized does not make it meaningless. The key is to reflect on the words you are saying and mean and believe what you say.

Answer 7

Some people benefit from "saying" the Lord's Prayer. For them, it kind of primes the pump of prayer when they don't know where to start.

Traditions and liturgies are very helpful to some. We are all different.

Answer 8

No not really we should pray from the heart with our own words the Lords prayer was given as an example of how to pray not to be recited Jesus condemned that in the pharasies.

Answer 9

Any zen practicioner will tell you that "you never set foot in the same river twice" in other words each time you repeat the same prayer, it has a different context a different intent and it truly is a different experience.

Answer 10

ANY WORDS THAT YOU SAY WITH REALIZING THE MEANING IS PRAYER... IT CAN FOLLOW THE OUTLINE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER OR ANY THING...IT'S GOOD TO PRAY... IT NEEDS TO BE TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS JUST AS HOW A DRESS IS TAILORED ACCORDING TO YOUR SIZE.. THE MODEL IS SAME.. BUT THE MEASUREMENTS PROPORTIONS ARE DIFFERENT... BUT EVEN YOUR SIGHS WHERE YOU FIND NO WORDS CAN BE PRAYERS...EVEN SONGS CAN BE PRAYERS...