Sitting in bed listening to a worship song I have found a new appreciation for the Lord's Prayer. I've always seen it as something washed up that every person who wants to seem like a Christian or a good Catholic boy or girl recites. I can see now that Jesus hit everything that we need in our lives right in this short prayer.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever.
Amen
Matthew 6:9-13
The first sentence is a given for now. We should always recognize the holiness of our God and recognize his divine power.
The next sentence's meaning has changed in my eyes from how it has been for many years. This is because of a speaker at a Hillsong United Concert I went to. The way he explained it made me
feel as if I finally had someone reveal to me the most incredible treasure I had ever seen. He talked about the part that says, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven." Now I won't explain it exactly how he did because I don't remember but I know what he was trying to say through that thick Australian accent. You see most people interpret this as "I will do your will until you come back." Which is great, but I agree with the idea this guy had. No, it's not blasphemous it just seems simple but so poetic. You see, we can take "thy will be done" and see it as a nonessential clause (I suck at grammar so I'm probably wrong about the nonessential clause stuff). Anyways when you take that out you get "Thy kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven." MAN! Maybe I'm the only one who saw this as so powerful. It is OUR job as followers of Christ to bring Heaven to Earth, to shine light into such a dark place. What a beautiful gift we have as Christians to get to brighten people's lives by showing the love of Christ through everything we do.
Next, we have "Give us today our daily bread."
Daily Bread refers to the way that God gave manna to the Israelites every day while in the wilderness. No matter what, God gave them exactly the amount he knew that they needed to be sustained. Now, this doesn't mean that the Israelites wanted the same food everyday, it also doesn't mean that they got exactly how much they thought they needed; however, rain or shine they always got exactly what they needed.
So, Jesus is saying that we should never pray to God to give us more than what we need but to ask Him to give exactly what He knows we need. Whether we like it or not, it is what we need and it is a part of growth. You see, the Israelites had to have this manna everyday (whether they liked it or not) in order for their physical bodies to remain healthy for the tasks that would await them. In this same way we must ask God to give us exactly what we need in order for us to be prepared spiritually for the jobs we were created to accomplish.
"Forgive us our sins,as we forgive those who sin against us."
My pastor explained it best in asking the question, "Would you really want God to forgive you in the same way you forgive others?" Many of us hold grudges and can't let go. We must take time to transform into vessels that pour out mercy and grace just like our Father.
"Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil"
May we not be led into temptation any longer, but completely delivered from all evil and may our innocence be restored. Easier said than done right? It takes YOU and God to overcome temptation. Often times it also takes our brothers and sisters in Christ to hold us up. (I will probably write something on this very thing soon)
"For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. "
We can't expect God to work in us if we can't humble ourselves and let God really take all of us. Letting God take all of you is a gradual process from what I have learned. Small (and sometimes HUGE) steps out of your comfort zone lead up to more and more freedom for you to do things in the power of the Holy Spirit. Letting God take all of you takes discipline and it takes persistent seeking after God and his will for you.
I know this was long and I don't think I ever want to write something this long again, but I feel as if God wanted me too share exactly this. If not for any of you atleast it helps me :)
I love you guys and I hope that you let God work in your life like never before. Often times the hardest thing for a human to do is take the first step, but once that is done your life will never be the same.
Hunter
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I love it! and i love the way yall broke it down.. it kinda goes along with what i want my blog to be. i love how yall are taking that extra step and going out there.. it is amazing how God can use people to do such big things for him. Thank you
ReplyDeleteWOW. Its amazing how you never stop learning no matter your age or situation youre in at this moment. THANKS:)
ReplyDeleteIt is so great to hear from people who are not ashamed of who they are and who God wants them to be.
ReplyDeleteI was at a different United worship night this tour, and Crishan, their Youth Pastor, spoke on similar lines, but he took it a step further by explaining how God's Kingdom in Heaven can become manifest in our world.
In the old testament, there were certain times and certain situations where there was a point of contact between heaven and earth, a place where the Glory of God was revealed to it's fullest, such as Adam and Eve visiting with God in the garden, Moses's burning bush, and the tabernacle. The most significant of these points of overlap between heaven and earth was the Holy of Holies in the temple. God's presence permeated that place, and only the highest priests were even allowed inside.
Under the new covenant we have through our Saviour Jesus Christ, WE become a point of overlap. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus Christ lives in us!
I had always kind of known all of that, but the way he just laid it out there peice by peice really blew my mind. Verses like "let your light so shine before men" take on a whole new meaning when we consider that through each and every one of us, our world comes in contact with the Kingdom of Heaven. We keep waiting for the kingdom to come, but it's already here, in each follower of Christ who is willing to say "send me" and be his hands and feet.
It's exciting to see what's happening in youth groups and churches around the country and around the world, and we have a responsibility now to be unashamed and to let the Kingdom of God shine on Earth.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
Romans 8:18
Thanks so much for starting this blog, I know you guys will reach a lot of people through your great music and your rock-solid belief in Jesus Christ.
Chris Miller
Rushville Illinois