Praying the Pattern

the Lord's Prayer as framework for prayer and life

By Andii Bowsher

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.”


Most of us have either browsed on a bookstall or actually read books on the theme of prayer. Depending on what you read, who you are and where you were at in your relationship with God at the time, those books may or may not have been helpful. More often than not, books about prayer tend to present each author’s ‘how to’. This book is not one of those.

“In this book the aim is to provoke action and to that end to offer some ways to use the Lord’s prayer as a prayer pattern. I want to make a strong appeal for the Lord’s Prayer to gain a fuller and more central place in our devotional lives.” (p10)

This book is perhaps more of a workbook and the author, Andii Bowsher, is keen for the reader to know that it is meant to stimulate new ideas and practise, to resource and encourage, not to prescribe. In fact, there is a website to go with the book where readers are encouraged to respond to and reflect on the material and, in conversation with each other as well as the author, develop and add to it. Take a look for yourself: http://abbeynous.schtuff.com

Andii does exactly what he says he will in his quoted aim.

Firstly, the Lord’s Prayer is separated out into individual clauses, for example, ‘Give us today our daily bread’, and Andii offers some explanations, reflections and points of teaching on each. These are very helpful and insightful notes, but I found that the slightly messy and confusing structure made it sometimes difficult to follow. I couldn’t help but get frustrated to see so many original and inspirational thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer muddled into the historic and theological backgrounds I was promised wouldn’t be the focus. I wanted more of the ‘good stuff’!

That first section serves as an introduction to the main content. Andii captures the context of the prayer alongside Jesus’ other teaching on this subject and identifies and develops it into a pattern that flows, not only through my quiet hour alone with God, but through my whole life. The gentle, practical and very sensitive tone of this book helps me to find my own space, my own style of prayer whilst challenging me to look deeper into my life and prayerfully consider all my actions and attitudes to check if they are in line with Jesus’ teaching.

I read this book at a time in my life when starting a scrapbook (p34) was the perfect thing to do! One of many simple and easy practical suggestions, I am finding this is helping me to focus on all the areas of my life in relation to the Lord’s Prayer, probing deep into my being and identity as a child of God and what that means in prayer, life and action. It’s also helping me to concentrate on the individual clauses of the Prayer, whilst at the same time experiencing the power and depth of the Prayer as a whole.

Andii is careful to acknowledge and show respect for different personalities and different stages in life and presents a kind of menu of accessible and original ideas for the reader to experiment with and choose from. He emphasises the fact that no single way is right for everyone, but shows how the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer can be applied to fit in many different ways. It gives a freedom that I haven’t found in any other book on prayer and I feel it encourages me to be me!

Reading this book I learnt that, as I view my prayer and daily life through the lens that is the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer, I can more effectively, fully and intimately live as a disciple of Jesus. Using and applying this pattern helps me to listen to Father God, to praise Him, to look for His Kingdom here on earth and to pray for the things that He puts on my heart. I feel freshly challenged by God’s provision for me and others. I am more aware of my need to be forgiven and to forgive others. I realise more how essential God’s protection is as He leads me into a purer life with Him.

What the book also does is encourage us to pray together in that same way; through a ‘Lord’s prayer lens’. There are many ways this book could be used successfully, like in a small group setting or a day’s workshop. The very accessible and inclusive ideas make the book very easy to work with.

This book has impacted me like no other book on prayer has. It has made me look deeper into the way I pray and the way I live in a way which is helpful to me. It emphasises different ways of praying because everybody is unique. That is what makes this book so powerful; there will be something in there for you to. I recommend this book with an urgency.