“Pray, then, in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be revered as holy.
May your kingdom come.
May your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:9-15 (NRSVue)
This translation is a bit different from what we say in church if you worship at a United Methodist congregation. If anyone from a non-liturgical tradition ever gets on to you for saying a prayer that is written out (rather than off-the-cuff), just point out that you're only following what Jesus told you to do!
What things is Jesus emphasizing in this prayer?
We start out with praise - this is an ordering where we remind ourselves that God is God and we are not. It is good to remember that we are not the center of the universe. All our requests move from here.
We are praying for God's reign not only in heaven but on earth. This is a subtle way of putting ourselves in the mix. We know that God uses people to accomplish things on earth. How am I going to be a part of this in my corner of the world today?
What does it look like in heaven to you?
We're reminded of the Jewish people wandering in the desert who received manna - bread from heaven each day. If they tried to store up enough for the next day, it would rot and smell and everyone would know what you did! How do I put limits on my own need? How does asking for daily bread keep me from greater entitlement?
Forgiveness is important in many ways. We want to receive forgiveness but we also need to grant it. This is the point Jesus follows up the prayer with so it must be important. It may be that we will not understand the depth of being forgiven by God until we learn to forgive others.
No one wants to come to the time of trial. After being in court last year, I can tell you this is absolutely true! And there are times we need to be rescued. Sometimes when my intentions go bad, I recognize that the evil one is me!
At this point, I need forgiveness so I must start the prayer all over again. Who's in charge? Oh, yes, God is holy and I am honoring God rather than the other way around.
I include the Lord's Prayer in my daily prayers to start each morning. It's not a bad discipline for you to pick up during Lent!
Prayer for the day (as a comparison for the changes):
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Photo by Jon Marshall via Flickr.com. Used under the Creative Commons license.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
No comments:
Post a Comment