Psalm 86 ^1-7
Luke 11 ^1-13
Mark 1 ³⁵

The passage that I have just read to you was the Lord's Prayer in the Dutch language.  Did it have meaning for anyone?  In young children, learning to count and learning the alphabet are a big deal; they provide positive reinforcement that mental capabilities are developing on track. But as they first learn numbers and the alphabet they have no meaning or context for them. For example, what 2 year old knows the application of that wonderful letter LMNOP?

ln the same fashion, who upon first memorizing the Lord's prayer has any real insight as to its meaning?  I felt quite proud at a relatively young age to be able to rattle off the Lord's prayer in much the same manner as a dog performing its repertoire of tricks for a biscuit.  As a youngster, I could say it, but could I pray it?  I suspect that we've all developed a deeper understanding along the way.  The Lord's prayer is the most important of all Christian documents. It was carefully constructed by Jesus with certain very precise ideals in mind. Of all his teachings, it is by far the best known and the most quoted; more than the 23rd psalm, the 10 commandments and the Beatitudes, it is the one common denominator of all the Christian churches. It is perhaps the only ground upon which we all meet.  There is great power in the Lord's prayer, not so much in the words but rather in the pattern of thinking it instills in our minds. Romans 12:² tells us "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."  When our thoughts begin to flow in the channels of the Lord's prayer, we are transformed.  Allow me to guide us through a close look of the Lord's prayer to reveal some of its power to us. The first thing to notice is that the prayer naturally falls in to 7 clauses. The number seven is important in Christian tradition; it symolizes individual completeness, the perfection of the individual soul. The 7 clauses are put together with the utmost care in a perfect sequence and they contain everything that is necessary for the nourishment of the soul.  Let's consider the first clause.

1. Our Father

ln this clear cut, definitive statement, Jesus establishes that the relationship between God and Man is that of Father and child. We humans, despite weakness of character, almost always show our best when dealing with our children. But God, who is altogether good, is the perfect Father to his children.

Further, it is a law of the universe that Like begets like.  An oak tree cannot produce tulips, only more oaks. Offspring replicate their parents.  Therefore, as God is good, we must also be good: it is our essential nature despite our attempts to be otherwise.

Next, we see that the prayer says, not my father but our father, which unequivocally binds us as children of one father. We are not separated by colour or nationality or social standing. We are all equal - one brotherhood of humankind. So when we pray the Lord's prayer, we pray for ourselves as well as all of humankind. Do you
see the intended brilliance Jesus injected into 2 simple words?
 
2. Which art in Heaven

Heaven in this case is not a place - a description of where God is, as we tend to think of Heaven as somewhere distant. The reality is that God is as near and as omnipresent as the air we breathe. More to the point, Heaven is a description of how God is. Heaven is synonymous with perfection.  Which art in Heaven then refers to a perfect father - far more loving than our imperfect human fathers.

Father also implies authority. It is God's authority we must live by. Think of it!  Jesus knowing his fate on the cross said "not my will - but your will be done!"  God has created a moral order- God's laws. By adherence to those laws we discover his will is our peace. On the other hand, by not obeying God's laws we will forever struggle in failure and frustration.  But God is so much more than a law giver and authority. The very name signifies a rule of love. He shows us his love - we respond with love in return to God - to each other and to our world. At least that's how Jesus imagined it to work.
 

3. Hallowed be thy name

The name of something means the essential nature or character of that thing, so when Jesus tells us that the name of God is hallowed, we have a clear indication of God's nature- the word hallowed in old English means the same as holy, whole, wholesome and healed. So we understand that through his name God's very nature is complete and perfect - all good. Now earlier I suggested that life perpetuated new life in its own image - oak like oak and duck like duck. Therefore God cannot send anything but perfect good.  If you think you have God to blame for any of
your difficulties, you are wrong. You give extra power to your troubles which only make them more difficult to deal with.

4. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

God designed us to be his eyes, ears and voice on earth. The purpose of course is to express his will in the world, to bring his ideas to manifestation. We in turn supply him with a streaming feedback about the state of his kingdom here on earth through our sight, our ears and our thoughts. To do that, we have been given creative power. We are not robots, or else we would all express the kingdom of God here on earth and in our messages back to him in exactly the same way. But as humans, we often use this creative power or free will in a negative way. We often succumb to selfish, abusive control actions that are not God's nature or will for us.  We abuse that free will - working apart from God's will, and creating sickness, poverty, sin, war, even death. Whereas if we choose what, through prayer, we know to be his will, then we can experience heaven right here on earth.

He wants our best, but expects no more. To pray thy will be done is really a call to action, to show through our daily lives what God's kingdom is like.  Expect great things from God - attempt great things for God.

5. Give us this day our daily bread

ln the middle of the Lord's prayer there is a distinctive division- you notice it in the pronouns. The first 4 segments are all about Thy name - thy kingdom - thy will . But the last 3 clauses are us and our. So first we think of God in prayer - then we rightfully think of ourselves. Because we are children of the loving father, we should expect God to provide us with everything we need- just as children naturally look to their human parents to supply all of their wants. In that same manner, if we ask God in faith for our daily bread we shall never go hungry. This is a practical matter, as we need nourishment to be our best. The God who made our bodies wants to provide for our physical needs. We don't have to spiritualize this request. Jesus preached, he healed, he forgave sins, but he also used his marvelous power to feed people real bread. Bread refers not merely to food, but all things we humans require for a healthy, harmonious life.

Gods provisions are all around us in such abundance that we take them for granted and forget the source. This segment of the prayer also focuses us to the real source, and reminds us to thank him always.

6. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

This prayer that Jesus crafted covers all the needs of our souls and bodies. It precisely covers everything in the right order - not too much or too little. Now it turns to the critical factor of forgiveness. The words forgiving and forgiven are inseparable twins. If you are unable or unwilling, to forgive others - then you are unable to receive God's forgiveness. Forgiveness is essentially a self-preservationist act. If you've been done wrong - really wrong - unforgiveness locks you into an ugly spiral with that wrong. You are attached. It is constantly in your thoughts and emotions, sapping your strength and happiness. It has the potential to destroy you. It may seem easier to forgive a small trespass - to rise above a trifling loss, but we are also required to forgive the very things that are so hard to forgive that at first it seems impossible. But forgive we must! How can we do this? Forgiveness is thought by many to mean liking the person or understanding the action. It does not!

Rather do this, become quiet, contemplate the wrong, say a prayer to God and ask for strength and then say "l fully and freely forgive whomever." "I forgive the whole incident in question - as far as I am concerned it is finished forever. That person is free and I am free too."  If ever the thought comes back to you, do not repeat the forgiveness, because that has been fully and completely done. Simply bless the delinquent and dismiss the thought. Do that however often is required to rid yourself of the thought. You soon enough will be free of the bitterness and resentment. Simple? No! But it is the pathway to recovery.

Think of this. Jesus hanging on the cross prays "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Therein lies another secret of forgiveness. People are often unaware of having trespassed against someone in word or deed. It is imperative to be able to forgive others, so that you don't fester alone in you hurt.

Lastly you must be able to forgive yourself. The benefit of forgiveness can only work if it cycles among all involved. Therefore God's forgiveness depends upon your ability to forgive yourself.

Forgiveness is perhaps the most challenging aspect of the Lords prayer. To forgive is to be forgiven. It seems a good bargain to me. How about you?

7. Lead us not into ternptation, but deliver us from evil o

Jesus gave us three prayers to pray for ourselves. One is for the present, one looks to both the past and the present, and the third looks to the future. In the future, we may fear many things: Hunger, Loneliness, Old Age, Failing Health or Death.  Yet Jesus teaches us, the one fear we should hold above all others, is that in the midst of temptation, we will not slip. We seem to be quite cavalier about this segment of the Lord's prayer, because we constantly tempt ourselves. We find it difficult to escape temptation, because God endowed us with a free will. A person is no stronger than their weakest moment. We all have an Achilles' heel. A point of vulnerability.

God answers this prayer for us in many ways. Sometimes God intervenes and we call it coincidence. Sometimes we receive what we call insight. God gives us inner strength, revealed to us through dialogue with him. We have Jesus Christ as our example - and a new spirit of confidence rises within us.

Remember the children's story of the little engine that was able to climb the hill by believing "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." Well, we can say that too, only add two words and say O"I can in God, I can in God." If you look at the lives of people who have attained unusual spiritual power, you can see a common denominator. They all gave into temptation. They all sinned - but they never surrendered to sin. They never accepted failure as final. They never lost confidence.  They kept on saying "I can in God." The same power is available to us through prayer, even with a past of shame and defeat.  We can look to a future of peace and God's grace. "I can in God" - it is our Christian faith.

8. Thine is kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever

Jesus did not include this segment among the seven phrases he constructed as the Lord's prayer. We use this line essentially to acknowledge that God is indeed omnipresent and the all in all. This final segment amounts to a summary of how God's presence in our hearts and minds can magnify the God - like in each of us, which is ours by faithfully praying our Lord's prayer.

And with that kind of power working in our lives, how can we go wrong?

AMEN