The Lord's Prayer, Phrase by Phrase. Part 1
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we have also forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
(Matthew 6:9-13, New International Version)
Jesus told his disciples to begin their prayers by addressing God as "Our Father." Why might Jesus have said this?
The power of any prayer is based on the person to whom the prayer is addressed. Jesus teaches us to pray to God the Father: our orginator, our source, our sustainer, and eventually, our final and eternal home. God the Father provides everything we need. Often God works through other people, through events (planned and unplanned), or through circumstances. Everything in creation is at God's disposal.
God created us to be vehicles, or demonstrators, of God's love, greatness, goodness, and power. In return, God wants our love, honor, friendship, obedience, and worship.
When we begin our prayer with "Our Father" , we state and affirm the power of community. The true church isn't a building, not does the true church require a building. Buildings are nice gathering places for community, but community can exist without a building. in fact, true community must be able to exist and thrive without a building. Christ followers are not "lone rangers", acting for and by themselves or only those close to them. We are, by definition, a part of a community dedicated to loving and obeying God and to serving all humanity and to caring for all creation.
God is our source, provider, keeper, redeemer, and guide. Anything we want begins with God and must be valued and evaluated through the lens of God's will.
With this faith, knowledge, and understanding, we are ready to pray.
Coming soon: Part 2: "in heaven".
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we have also forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
(Matthew 6:9-13, New International Version)
Jesus told his disciples to begin their prayers by addressing God as "Our Father." Why might Jesus have said this?
The power of any prayer is based on the person to whom the prayer is addressed. Jesus teaches us to pray to God the Father: our orginator, our source, our sustainer, and eventually, our final and eternal home. God the Father provides everything we need. Often God works through other people, through events (planned and unplanned), or through circumstances. Everything in creation is at God's disposal.
God created us to be vehicles, or demonstrators, of God's love, greatness, goodness, and power. In return, God wants our love, honor, friendship, obedience, and worship.
When we begin our prayer with "Our Father" , we state and affirm the power of community. The true church isn't a building, not does the true church require a building. Buildings are nice gathering places for community, but community can exist without a building. in fact, true community must be able to exist and thrive without a building. Christ followers are not "lone rangers", acting for and by themselves or only those close to them. We are, by definition, a part of a community dedicated to loving and obeying God and to serving all humanity and to caring for all creation.
God is our source, provider, keeper, redeemer, and guide. Anything we want begins with God and must be valued and evaluated through the lens of God's will.
With this faith, knowledge, and understanding, we are ready to pray.
Coming soon: Part 2: "in heaven".
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