There was a family who prayed the Lord’s Prayer together every night for their family devotions. In San Francisco at the turn-of-the-century, they owned a boarding house with a number of rooms they let out. They were all numbered one to ten. The youngest member of the family used to deliver the mail to the rooms, and thereby learned to count up to twelve as well as recognize the numbers even though they only had ten rooms and ten boarders. It was a long time before room number seven was finally rented, although all the rest had been let for some time. It was rented by a man with a long, white beard, who sang hymns and carried a Bible. Naturally, the youngster was curious about him.
“We pray about you ever’ night,” said the child with the diction of one who had not yet entered school.
“Indeed?” said the older man.
“Yes, we pray for ‘our father who art in seven.””
“My child,” said the aged man, “I’m grateful for your prayers, but I believe you mean to pray,
‘Our Father who art in heaven.””
“Oh, no,” responded the child cheerfully. “‘Our Father who art in seven” is right. We only have ten rooms, not h’leaven.”
“But heaven isn’t a number,” said the gentleman kindly. “It’s where God dwells.”
“God can’t live in h’leaven. We’s full up.” (Dr. Richard Andersen, San Jose, Ca) Humor from ChristianGlobe
We come here each week to get full up with God; to seek God in prayer and to be in relationship with God. So when we read about the disciples asking Jesus how to pray we get excited. Because if we are honest we sometimes feel like our prayers aren’t as powerful as we like, or it feels like God is far away. We relate when Paul says, we do not know how to pray as we ought. We wonder how do you approach God in prayer?
Seeing the power of prayer, of Jesus’ prayer, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. Of course Jesus does not give them a lecture or sermon on prayer; rather he offers a framework and directions. Luke has given us a very cryptic, honest and direct prayer. You might even be wondering where the rest of the prayer is. The more developed prayer is found in Matthew’s gospel. But Luke has offered us a framework and foundation of praying to our God.
First we are to refer to God as Father. Following after Jesus’ example, we are to claim that very personal, warm and intimate relationship with God. But not simply because Jesus used that word, ABBA, no because of what God does and the relationship we share is one very much like a parent to a child. The very tenor and action of the prayer is one like a father.
A little boy was standing on the banks of the Mississippi River waving and shouting at a steamboat that was going by. He was beckoning the steamboat to come to shore. A stranger came by and said, “That’s foolish young man. The boat will never come ashore because of your request. The captain is too busy to notice your waving and shouting.” Just then the boat turned and headed for shore. The little boy grinned and said to the stranger, “The captain is my daddy.”
The captain of the universe is your Abba. He pays attention to our petitions because he loves us. The first word in the Lord’s Prayer encourages us to believe in the affectionate intimacy of the Lord of the universe, so we persistently pray and petition our heavenly Father (Ron Lavin).
First we claim God as our daddy then we reverently let God be God. In those two lines, “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, we praise the transcendence of God in heaven, the otherness of God and the sovereignty of God through his kingdom. But all of these wonderful descriptors of God just remind us that God is in relationship with us. God takes the time to hear us when we wave and pray from the shore.
The next three parts of the prayer can be described as the three F’s- food, forgiveness and fidelity. God giving us our daily bread is really a statement about our utter dependence upon God for everything. The assumption here is that without God we would have nothing and with God we have all that we have and are. The two following stories are about food and how we get it through God’s provision. The first is about a man who will not leave his children to give a neighbor some bread in the middle of the night, even when hospitality and custom demands that he does. Persistence is the only thing that gets him out of bed to help. We are to be persistent with our prayers to God. Prayers are as basic as bread. Interestingly the word “daily” in the Greek had never been used before this passage and so it could mean daily, tomorrow’s or necessary. So that means, “Give us each day our daily bread, tomorrow’s bread, our necessary bread.” I love all three- they seem to paint and undeniable picture about how all that sustains us –physically, emotionally and spiritually comes from God. All are necessary, and we need them both today and tomorrow- – meaning we receive it all from God.
Have you ever been on a cruise- in addition to all the activities and sights, there is an abundance of food; food morning, noon, night and midnight. You can eat very well most of the time, but if you wanted something that did not happen to be stocked, you were plumb out of luck. You have nowhere to go to find it, with waters all around. Your daily nutritional needs can be met on a cruise, but you might not get everything you want. We are not on a cruise and yet God is an awesome provider. You still might not get everything you want, but our daily bread is about necessities, not desires. God certainly provides all you ever need.
Forgiveness is next. First and foremost, we forgive because God first forgave us. By Christ dying on the cross we have merciful and glorious forgiveness. God has provided a universal and loving way to be reunited and reconciled to our Heaven Father. We pray to God to forgive us our sins, like we do every week and more often as needed. But we also know we must forgive others. Oh how easy it is to receive forgiveness, but how hard it can be to offer it to others. We can get caught up in anger and resentments. But we truly are to be like Christ and turn to our neighbor as say, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” Then we might add, “Help me to forgive them as well!”
Do you remember when Ronald Reagan was shot back in 1981? He would have every reason to not forgive the man who tried to take his life, a man recently let out on parole. But the president’s daughter Patti recalls, “The following day my father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley. She writes, ‘By showing me that forgiveness is the key to everything, including physical health and healing, Dad gave me an example of Christ-like thinking’” (Angels Don’t Die). Forgive us our sins as we forgive others.
Fidelity might surprise you when it comes to the Lord’s Prayer. You might say, I don’t remember that being a part of it. Temptation is more the norm. And of course we need help not being tempted to do things God would not have us do. But new to me was the idea that this time of trial is not so much enticement to do evil as it is a request for protection from circumstances that test or imperil our faith. In other words, “Lord keep me from the times when my faith will be tested and I might lose heart, help me to be true to you even when I am persecuted for my faith.” Fortunately we are not persecuted often, so temptations of life seem to get more of the focus. But thankfully we are teachable creatures ones who want to do what is pleasing in God’s sight, so even if we fall short we brush ourselves off, ask for forgiveness and continue on our faith journey.
Recently I met a woman who had lost all faith in God. She wanted help with a spiritual malady, but when she heard that God was the solution it set a huge road block to her progress. That is what Jesus is warning about. Pray to God that you will never be tested to the point of no return, abandoning your faith and walking away from God. In other words pray, “God keep me close to you, not matter what life brings, for you are my hope and my strength.” We pray keep me from trial, for all things are possible with God.
That is how Jesus tells us to pray to God; asking for food, forgiveness and fidelity. Now let us look at the two parables Jesus shares. The first person is in a hurry to get food to show hospitality. Knocking at the door in the middle of the night you might think they needed the bread ASAP. And they did. But I want us to think of the urgency of prayer in a new way. So rather than ASAP meaning as soon as possible, let’s have ASAP stand for Always Say a Prayer. There’s always work to do, deadlines to meet, you’ve got no time to spare. But as you hurry and scurry, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer. In the midst of family chaos, quality time is rare. Do your best; let God do the rest, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer. It may seem like your worries are more than you can bear. Slow down and take a breather, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer. God knows how stressful life is; he wants to ease our cares. God responds to all your needs, ASAP: Always Say a Prayer. (Lenard Sweet) Be persistent and always say a prayer.
We are to ask, seek and knock even though it feels a little pushy and demanding. Yet here Jesus is telling us to do exactly that. But what helps me to respond more faithfully in prayer is the generosity of God. It is not about what I do, rather about who God is. God is generous. God gives abundantly more than a parent who already gives so much. When your child asks for a fish you certainly would not give them a snake. No we want to give our children the world. So when Cooper wanted to go off to college I am thrilled to give that to him!!! God is thrilled to give to us. The very best of the best of what God gives is the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit the best gift? Can there be anything better than to have God in, for, and with you? That is why we pray.
The Lord’s prayer –most of us could recite it in our sleep. Do you remember how you learned it? Who taught you this prayer? Joyce Smith was in charge of the Sunday School program at my church and she taught us the Lord’s Prayer. I remember coming home and reciting it to my mother. I was young, maybe 7 when I learned it, so I am sure I did not understand it all, but I certainly knew it spoke to my relationship with God and Jesus. Continue to seek out people and ways to pray, for Jesus will continue to teach you. God first spoke the one Word to us in Jesus Christ; now we need only muster the good sense and courage to speak back, to pray. We are to share our thoughts and feelings with God, taking comfort in the fact we learn in Romans, “even when we do not know how to pray as we ought, the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness with sighs too deep for words.”
Let us pray: Faithful father into your presence we come, we dwell, we pray our way to you. Nurture a pathway of prayer, hearts wide open, to the Word, your Son, our companion and friend. Allow our prayers to be said friend to friend, trusting that you welcome us into an ever deeper relationship with you and with each other. Holy God give us, forgive us, lead us and deliver us- the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
