The Lord’s Prayer: A Meditation
The
Lord’s Prayer fascinates me. There are so
many rich and meaningful layers in only sixty-some words. I love how Jesus expertly leads our focus throughout the prayer—first from Our Father (intimate but heavenly, holy, ruler,
sovereign) to us (needy, sinful, weak, unable to save ourselves). What starts as praise and worship ends in
confession and humility. We are first
reminded of who He Is, then of who we are. Oh, how we need this! Join me in
this meditation on Matthew 6:9-13:
Our Father, (Creator of the Universe, God of Angel
Armies, Love Defined, and yet our Abba, our Daddy)
in heaven (Your created dwelling, a place of perfection and unimaginable
beauty, where we will one day join You)
hallowed be Your name (Holy, Perfect, Sanctified. I Am. Alpha and Omega. Love and Power exemplified in label, in word)
Your kingdom come (It’s not heaven on earth yet, but oh, it will be, in
Your time and in Your way. It is coming,
and we help bring it)
Your will be done, on earth as it
is in heaven (Your will is not always
done on earth, but You walk with us through life, making all things work for
our good, until heaven)
Give us today our daily bread (Our most basic provisions come as a gift from Your
hand. We cannot make it happen)
And forgive us our debts (We sin. We can’t earn
forgiveness. You give it when we ask)
as we also have forgiven our debtors (We choose to forgive,
because You forgive us. Nothing
they can do to us can compare with all You’ve done for us)
And lead us not into temptation (James 1:13-14, James 4:7, 1 Corinthians 10:13. You do not tempt us, but allow temptation to test
and strengthen us. How can we truly
choose holiness if we don’t have the opportunity to choose sin? Help us always choose You.)
but deliver us from the evil one (We cannot deliver ourselves from the enemy, nor from the
world nor our own sinful desires. Only
You can save us. Please, Abba, save us).
Debbie Legg is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
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On Earth as it is in Heaven
The Lord's prayer was the first scripture I ever memorized from the Bible. I remember recieving little gift books one Easter, one of which was the Lord's prayer complete with beautiful paintings of landscapes or sheep. I can't quite remember.
I grew up in churches that recited the prayer aloud during Sunday services every week. Admittedly, the words for many years were simply mechanical. It wasn't until high school when I began to dust off these precious words of Jesus and read them afresh.
What a gift to have God incarnate teach us how to speak with Him and what to ask for. The power laced in these words is great.
Over the last few years it is the words, "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," that have caught my eye. I imagine that God's will in heaven is always perfect, good, and accomplished. I think of Jesus' request that we ask for God's will to be done on earth, like asking for care packages from home. If I pray for what God does in heaven to be released on this earth, maybe earth will begin to look a little more like heaven. And maybe others will take notice - and discover the One who calls them home.
Where do you want heaven to invade earth in your life, today?
Thursday, April 25, 2013
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Jumping the Fence
Many years ago, I had
regularly attended a Presbyterian Church in Evanston, IL. They were “debtors” (forgive
us our “debts” as we also have forgiven our debtors). When I got married
and moved out of state, Phillip and I joined a church of “trespassers” (forgive
us our “trespasses”…). One weekend,
Phillip and I flew back to Evanston for the wedding of a friend and were totally
outed when the Lord’s Prayer came along. Folks could hear us loud and clear. A
wonderful and hilarious friend sitting in front of us turned around with a wry
grin on his face and whispered a harsh accusation:“Trespassers!!”. Phillip
and I laughed so hard, I believe one of us snorted. (Outed again.)
I find it interesting that
when it comes to how Jesus teaches us to pray, it’s the verbiage about the fall
from grace in which we differ. How true to life this is! We have different
names for that which we judge, and they go far beyond the simple, “debtor”,
“trespasser”, or, the ever-classic “sinner”.
It would do us all good to
remember that when we pray as Jesus taught us to pray, we have “all sinned
and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
We are, all of us, indebted
to him for the life he originally breathed into us on that first day, as much
as we are indebted to him for the new life he has breathed into us every day
following.
Without redemption, we are
all trespassing in His Kingdom and missing out on the blessings
that oneness with God brings.
Regardless of how you cut
it, or what you call it, we are all sinners in need of giving and
receiving Grace.
So while we Christians may
debate our differences, we can at least take heart in what unifies us: the fact that we have all royally screwed up at one
time or another. (Really, we have.) May we be ONE community when we pray, remembering
that if ever any of us dares to approach the God of all creation with anything
less than a repentant heart, we have essentially jumped the fence and
are trespassing on hallowed ground.
No trespassing, folks. Forgive.
Ask for forgiveness. Then enjoy the Kingdom.
It was meant for you.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
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Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done
"Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
I probably pray this portion of the Lord's Prayer more than any other prayer. I hate to diminish it as a catch-all kind of prayer, but at the end of the day, whether I think I've prayed God's will or I'm not really certain, I know the words, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done" is a prayer He won't hesitate to answer.
Don't get me wrong--I do my best to pray very targeted, specific prayers, and when I don't know what to pray, I rely on the Holy Spirit's intervention (Romans 8:26). Even though I ask in faith, I still seal my prayers by declaring my submission to His will. It's my way of acknowledging that, regardless of what I want, it's what He wants that matters most.
What about you? Does the Lord's prayer show up in your prayer life in similar ways? I encourage you to make these words a regular part of your conversations with the Father. I'd love to hear just how you're making that happen.
Anitra Elmore is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
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Give Us This Day
Sounds as if God isn't involved in my plans, eh?
Actually, quite the opposite.
During the last week of December every year, I take some quiet time - even skipping church on a Sunday morning (gasp!) so I can be home alone to look back and look forward. It is during the quiet of a Sunday morning at the end of a year that I ask some pretty big questions.
I ask God what he would like to see change in my life for the upcoming year.
This year, I felt called to be more diligent in tithing from my home business earnings. 10% every Thursday. That was the "big picture" goal.
However, in order for that to happen I had to ask God EACH DAY to lead my household financial decisions and my business interactions. Doing so has been a daily choice - to listen, and submit to His wisdom and hand over my finances. I had to choose to go without, so I could pay down debt, in order to allow for more surplus - surplus to give away.
Perhaps my "give us this day our daily bread" (which for me was the ability to GIVE to others), has resulted in becoming the answer to someone else who has also been praying "give us this day our daily bread" (which for them could mean something as simple as . . . well . . . bread.)
See how God does that?
Pray that I would continue to be obedient to what he has called me to do. To ask Him daily how I should live, so that I can share from what He has given me, to help those who are also praying daily that their needs, however basic, be met as well.
The Lord's Prayer. Still alive. Still relevant. Daily.
Joline Atkins is your server today! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
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When You Pray, Say...
This week, your friends at DFF will be sharing our response to the words that followed--how they've carried us, what they've taught us and how they've shaped our prayers. Come back to find out how we've made the Lord's Prayer our prayer. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts--what do you say, when you pray?
Saturday, April 20, 2013
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