Lord's Prayer Noodling

October 13, 2020

Scripture

Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” (Luke 11:2-4 ESV)

Lord’s Prayer Noodling

Before each day of my high school life could begin, we had to stand for the playing of “God Save the Queen” and then recite the “Lord’s Prayer”.  Both practices bugged me – there was some anti-monarchist thing in my genes, and I wasn’t sure what my classmates or I actually believed of the prayer as we mumbled it.

But reduced testosterone levels as I age have tempered my antipathy to Her Majesty and I have a growing and expanding experience of Jesus’ wisdom in this sparse prayer guide he taught his friends.

The other morning, I realized I had raced through the “Father”, “Hallowed Name” and “Your Kingdom Come” trio. I returned to “Father” and stayed there in wonder - that Jesus invited his flawed friends to freely speak with and listen to the same “Father” he spoke with and listened to himself.

You may prefer to express the idea in different words - Daddy, Abba, Mother. But the one from whom all families on earth have received their identity and worth invites us into the same intimate relationship as the Son – we are somehow children of the same family.

It’s not a get out of pain or struggle card – Jesus’ request for his cup to be taken away was not accepted after all. Like the one who invites us to prayer with his Father, we are called to embrace life with all its struggle knowing that there is a family connection in it all.

A Prayer for Today

Father. The wonder of your welcome to speak and listen to you at Jesus’ invitation makes us stop and be silent. I’ve used your name God, Father so often and too often too rapidly and carelessly. Forgive me and allow me to expand my experience of all you have given for which I say thank you ….. for Jesus’ sake