12/02/2026
A Reflection on Prayer, Repentance, and the “Little Ones”
I’ve been reflecting recently, and I think I owe an apology — a kind of repentance. When we repent, it’s best to name the thing honestly, so here it is.
I’ve sometimes spoken quite strongly about the way people use the Lord’s Prayer, especially when it’s repeated without thought or by those who don’t actually believe in Christ. I’ve often quoted Matthew 6:7: “When ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do…” And I’ve said that to call God “Our Father” while denying Christ is simply not truthful. I still believe that. Scripture is clear that adoption into God’s family comes through Christ alone (Hebrews 2:10; Romans 8:29–30).
But here is where I went wrong.
I failed to make room for what Jesus calls the “little ones” — not only children, but those who are new to faith, or weak in faith, or still learning how to walk with Christ. These little ones are not prayer warriors. They don’t yet know how to pour out their hearts before God. They may not know how to shape their own words in prayer.
And for them, repetition isn’t “vain”. It’s learning.
Simple prayers, including the Lord’s Prayer, can be a lifeline for those just beginning their journey. They give structure. They give confidence. They give a way to pray when your own words haven’t formed yet.
So to the little ones, to those new in faith, to those still finding their voice before God: I apologise. I repent of any harm my earlier words may have caused. It pains me to think I might have discouraged someone who was only just beginning to pray.
But thanks be to Christ Jesus, who takes even our mistakes and makes them His own. Because of Him, I can say this openly.
If you’re new to Christianity, if prayer still feels unfamiliar, then please hear this:
until you learn to pray in your own words, it is absolutely fine to use the prayers the Church has handed down. Read them. Repeat them. Let them shape your heart.
Let them teach you how to speak with your Father in heaven.
For He is your Father, not because you’ve mastered prayer, but because Christ has claimed you.
Ian
