What’s at the heart of "Our Father"?
I have been pondering a little bit about prayer, in particular, the Lord’s prayer and after saying this prayer, a prayer that has probably been recited by humanity more than any other, I wonder if we have ever paused to consider the weight of the first two words of the Lord’s Prayer: "Our Father"? I took a short service at a rest home on Friday, and this is a prayer that virtually every one of them, in their depths of longevity, bodies so fragile, even where the faculties of some were under a cloud, this prayer rolled of their tongues, so familiar, so profound, and so practiced.
Today this prayer is spoken in many places, in many ways (out loud or in the quiet of their hearts), and in many languages. And Christians all over the world speak the words of this prayer because this is how the Lord taught us to pray. For Jesus’ disciples, of all the things they might have asked Jesus to teach them, they asked Jesus to teach them to pray, but is there some special meaning in these words for us today? Is this some type of magic incantation with a specific formula that produces a specific result? What is it about this prayer which has shaped the hearts of many Christians for centuries, which is on our lips today, and yet is still offered by some devoid of the profound spiritual richness with which each word might be offered.
Jesus chose to teach us these words, and the prayer is special, and there is mystery here, but also a promise that invites us to lean in and rediscover the heartbeat of our relationship with God. And it begins with two words, “Our Father,” two words that carry a spark of something eternal and yet familial, something awe-inspiring and yet seemingly nostalgic, it speaks to our deepest longings for connection, love, and hope.
Today, we continue our exploration of prayer with an exploration of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ which I hope draws us into a fresh encounter with a God who calls you His own child and friend. Let us see how we might delve into a deeper connection with this prayer which we all have probably prayed thousands of times. May you be blessed as you meditate on our passage for this week: Matthew 6:5-14, and may your hearts and minds be open to the Wisdom of the Spirit, the Grace of the Son, and the power and majesty of ‘Our Father.’
Blessings
Josh
