A Worthy Title and Not Mindless Filler
We’ve talked about people who just pray and what the word amen means and doesn’t mean. Let us now consider how we use the word Lord in our prayers.
Proper Use of Lord
According to the dictionary, Lord means God. It can also refer to Jesus.
We see this correctly referenced in the Bible, where Lord is a title that means God or Jesus. It conveys respect and reverence. We are right to call God and Jesus Lord—as in our Lord.
In this way, we’re not wrong to address our prayers to the Lord, as in our Lord or dear Lord. This is just as we might open our heavenly communication with our Father or dear Jesus. Consider Isaiah 64:8.
As we pray, we can praise our Lord. We can bless our Lord. And we can affirm our Lord. We can revere our Lord who provides for us and sustains us. Last, we can petition our Lord to address our needs and our concerns.
We are right to do so.
Lord As a Pause or Filler
Yet, we can also overuse the word Lord in our prayers. Some people have developed the habit of using it as a filler. Or they may insert the word Lord as a pause.
Perhaps they interject it into a sentence as a false display of piety or to convey the pretense of spirituality.
Here’s an example: “Lord, we come to you, Lord, as your humble servants, Lord. We ask you, Lord, for your blessings and provisions, Lord, as we go about our day, Lord.”
I’m not exaggerating. I’ve heard people pepper their prayers with Lord in this way. Sometimes they even change their tone of voice. I know they are sincere, yet their overuse the Lord—which borders on abuse—irritates me.
A Habit to Break
For those who have developed and honed this practice over years of praying, this will certainly be a hard habit to break. Yet God deserves for them to try.
Here’s my recommendations: Start by recognizing and admitting you have this tenancy. Then confess it. Next ask the Holy Spirit to help you reform your prayer practices to better honor God.
The warning for the rest of us is to not let this mindless practice infiltrate our communication with the Almighty.
We must use the word Lord in our prayers as a worthy title to honor our God and avoid the mistake of using it as mindless filler or pretentious piety.
This is how we should use the word Lord in our prayers. May it be so.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
Bogged Down Reading the Bible?
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.