After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 [KJV])
Jesus taught his followers to go directly to the Father "in Heaven" with our prayers. We are not given any authority to pray to any other entity, saint or angelic being. He also tells us where to direct our prayers... to our Father in Heaven!
While the Holy Spirit dwells within us and prays for us we are not to direct our prayers to Him or to Christ dwelling within us but we are told to send them toward "Heaven". We are to recognize that God the Father is above all. The heaven we look to in prayer is "far above the earth". The heaven where God's throne is up from earth.
Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey. (Deuteronomy 26:15 [KJV]
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men... Psalm 14:2
Jesus said that he came down from Heaven. "For I came down from heaven" John 6:38
When Jesus blessed the bread and fishes he looked up as he prayed.
Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. (Luke 9:16 [KJV]
The study of posture in prayer and worship is a forgotten practice among Christian churches in the west. We sit and stand and some jump and dance but the Biblical practice of looking toward heaven when praising and exulting God and giving Him Thanks is a different posture than when we come before him with petitions and supplications and repentance which is to bend the knee and bow down our face toward the ground while still directing our prayer upwards to the throne of God.
When the name of Christ is mentioned the proper etiquette is to bow down in honor of His Holy Name.
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth;
(Philippians 2:10 [KJV]
It is strange that in America, kneeling is associated with Roman Catholicism and looking up to heaven or lifting the hands is associated with Pentecostalism when posture is such an important part of Worship and ought to be properly utilized not only in our personal prayer times but also in corporate worship. It would be a wonderful thing to see Pentecostals all on their faces in tears before the Lord God or to see Baptists let loose and lift up their faces and hands with joy while praising God. Whatever is the practice in your church this is not something to become divisive about because our true times of worship and prayer should be in our own prayer closet or around our own family altar or table.
One of the primary reasons families ought to have a formal dinner time together is so that they might give thanks to the Lord for his provision for that meal. It is not the time for long prayers of supplication. That can be saved for family devotions or for the conclusion of the meal. It might make saying Grace more meaningful if the family member that is to offer up grace should stand, lift up their hands and look to heaven and proclaim a family prayer of blessing.
It would be a great family exercise to have a family prayer of blessing that could be recited together. This would stay with the children throughout their adulthood. A blessing on the meal is meant to be a ceremonial prayer. I still remember the short prayer we recited in Grade school before we had our milk and cookies, "God is great, God is Good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen." This was before the federal government decided that corporate prayer in public school was unconstitutional.... amazing that the writers of the constitution did not realize that when they instituted the practice of opening all sessions of government and public meetings with prayer.
God commanded his people to bless their meals as a way to keep them always mindful of the blessings that come from God.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. (Deuteronomy 8:10 [KJV])
An excellent prayer for thanksgiving is found in Psalms 103:1-5. If the family recites these verses and commits them to memory it will stay with them all their life, even if they stray.
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalms 103:1-5 [KJV])
The blessing "on" a meal is not to bless physical things but to bless God, the giver of all good things and to remind ourselves that every physical thing that blesses our physical bodies comes from God.
So when you pray consider your posture. Consider whether it is corporate prayer, family prayer or your own prayer closet. Yes of course you should pray without ceasing with means continunal communion with God no matter where you are or what you are doing.
Separate your prayer times accordingly but remember to bless God for everything as God provides. Make your family time special- praying a verse or verses memorized from Psalms, something all can do together.
And remember you are not praying to yourself or to a congregation but to the Father in Heaven so lift up your face to heaven and give him Praise.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up,
and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
(Luke 21:28 [KJV]
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