September 2024 Revealing Light Newsletter

You may have grown up saying or hearing the beloved, “Lord’s Prayer”, or otherwise known as the “Our Father” prayer. The Disciples of Jesus had noticed how the other rabbis prayed and taught their disciples, and they wanted to hear from their rabbi, Jesus. “Can you teach us how to pray?”

The prayer is very simplistic, yet, there are these levels of beautiful life-shaping depth in this prayer Jesus gave us.

Our Father...
It isn’t just a time that you pray alone with God but this prayer brings us together under our Father, “OUR Father.”
One of the books mentioned how this prayer is “OUR Father”, even when we are praying “alone”. Yet, it actually unites us with all the other brothers and sisters in Christ around the world when we say, “Our Father”. It’s a communal prayer, almost praying for them without them even praying. It’s bringing to mind all of our brothers and sisters in Christ, around the World, helping us see the bigger picture of Our Father, present and in action.
“Father”, so intimate. Loving and knowing us as His children, guiding us, and building us up as children through the power of the Holy Spirit. Again, not just my father, but ours! Our Father is so big and loving toward all of His children around the world - past, present, and future!

...in Heaven, Holy is/Hallowed be Your Name
Yet, even though He is so intimate in knowing us, He remains distinct, holy, set apart -- there is nothing like Him in all creation. He remains Holy, even His name is undefiled and holy/set-apart. His name stands for who God is. “I AM WHO I AM” [Ex. 3:14].

May Your Kingdom come, and Your Will be done on earth as your will is in heaven.
We know our God is King, reigning and ruling, and we humbly surrender to God’s ultimate plans. We partner in what He is doing on earth as is His plans in His Heavenly Kingdom. We want to see His Kingdom continue to reveal itself through us and in this world.

Give to us this day our daily bread...
God continues to provide us with even the breath we have today, let alone the things that we need to be able to live each day. It may not always be a lot, but it is sufficient. As the Psalmist said, “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I lack.” (Ps 23:1). Paul said that in times of having lots or little, he found contentment because he had Christ who gave Him strength each day (Phil 4:11-13). Jesus is the living water, and the bread of life; providing us with not only today but eternal life with Him. (“Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” Mt 4:4).

And Forgive us our trespasses/wrongs/debts (toward you); in the same way we forgive the trespasses/wrongs/debts of other people toward us.
This has always been a very eye-opening, vulnerable, alarming request. In some ways, it helps us remember to forgive other people in the ways God has forgiven us. But it also helps hold us accountable by requesting that God forgives us to the same “level” that we have forgiven other people. Wow. “God, forgive me at the same level I have forgiven other people. If I have not forgiven them, then...” Well, yeah, it helps me forgive other people as well. Thankfully, we are forgiven because of what God has done through Jesus Christ; but still, it helps hold us accountable to taking that next step to forgive other people.
(“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Mt 5:23-24)

Do not lead us into temptation/tests, but deliver us from evil.
“Father, please, as our good shepherd, don’t lead us into temptation/tests, but as our good shepherd, you know what will help us the most. If it’s necessary in our growth to go through these hard life-shaping moments, please deliver us through those moments from the evil one.”
(Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested to be crucified, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Mt 26:39)

When you don’t know what to say or how to pray, Jesus gave us this prayer that would speak to more areas of our lives together than we may have first realized. It’s a prayer that can be memorized and prayed through throughout your day, word-for-word, or even in your own words, letting the Lord’s Prayer be your guide. I continue to love praying to God through our Lord’s prayer more and more throughout the years. May it also help guide you in your growing relationship with our God and Heavenly Father, in Christ, empowered through the Holy Spirit.
 
- Daryl Struemph

Additional Resources:

• BibleProject, “Matthew 6:9-13: The Prayer of Jesus”
• Rick Hamlin, “10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without”
• N. T. Wright, “The Lord’s Prayer“