We need the Lord's Prayer more than ever
An explication, using the King James language because that's what we know, in the time of COVID-19.
Our Father, Who art in Heaven. And if in heaven and the Father, who is in charge?
Hallowed be Thy name. Holiness is one of the most utilized character traits of the Father. Why? Why not love or justice or wrath? Because holiness is far more than we think of. Our thoughts run to a form of human purity and piety. That is not the holiness of God. Holy means separate, which means "not us" as well as "separate from sin." We are not praying to ourselves. We are not praying to a big version of mankind, a superhero.
In the first two lines of this model prayer, if we are intentionally and consciously and conscientiously praying it, we are aligning ourselves cognitively and emotionally and willfully with the direction of a totally other being upon whom we are totally dependent. So don't say these lines without full purpose.
Give us this day our daily bread. We Americans don't really worry about shortages. We are a land of plenty, of too much (is it odd that the obese are more susceptible to this disease than others?) Perhaps a pandemic and effects on the supply chain can wake us up.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. "As" can mean a lot of things; at the same time, as a result of, in the same way. Not a Greek scholar, I'll leave that to others. No matter how it works, we cannot live without forgiveness. We have no right to hold unforgiveness, rancor, bitterness, or any of the accompanying motives and emotions.
Deliver us from evil. Some translate this "the evil one." Does that mean Satan alone? Could the evil one be something else? I think the key word here is "deliver."
Are we asking to be delivered from COVID? Are we on our knees every day asking for deliverance? If not, why not?
This is an intractable and not understood illness. I know no one personally who has had it (or at least "passed" a test for it), but that means little when the "death toll" today is 73,000 in three months.
Now, you might have noticed that I skipped: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. As it follows the recognition that God the Father is in charge, we are reminded of our dependence. Despite our abundant knowledge and ability to deal with threats like coronavirus, we still lack what we need. We are also reminded that we have no idea what will happen. This is a request about the future, whereas the other requests are about the present.
For Thine Be the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Forever, Amen. Because the Kingdom and Power and Glory are His.
Prayer is first alignment. Then a righteous attempt to change the status quo as we experience it.
Our Father, Who art in Heaven. And if in heaven and the Father, who is in charge?
Hallowed be Thy name. Holiness is one of the most utilized character traits of the Father. Why? Why not love or justice or wrath? Because holiness is far more than we think of. Our thoughts run to a form of human purity and piety. That is not the holiness of God. Holy means separate, which means "not us" as well as "separate from sin." We are not praying to ourselves. We are not praying to a big version of mankind, a superhero.
In the first two lines of this model prayer, if we are intentionally and consciously and conscientiously praying it, we are aligning ourselves cognitively and emotionally and willfully with the direction of a totally other being upon whom we are totally dependent. So don't say these lines without full purpose.
Give us this day our daily bread. We Americans don't really worry about shortages. We are a land of plenty, of too much (is it odd that the obese are more susceptible to this disease than others?) Perhaps a pandemic and effects on the supply chain can wake us up.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. "As" can mean a lot of things; at the same time, as a result of, in the same way. Not a Greek scholar, I'll leave that to others. No matter how it works, we cannot live without forgiveness. We have no right to hold unforgiveness, rancor, bitterness, or any of the accompanying motives and emotions.
Deliver us from evil. Some translate this "the evil one." Does that mean Satan alone? Could the evil one be something else? I think the key word here is "deliver."
Are we asking to be delivered from COVID? Are we on our knees every day asking for deliverance? If not, why not?
This is an intractable and not understood illness. I know no one personally who has had it (or at least "passed" a test for it), but that means little when the "death toll" today is 73,000 in three months.
Now, you might have noticed that I skipped: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. As it follows the recognition that God the Father is in charge, we are reminded of our dependence. Despite our abundant knowledge and ability to deal with threats like coronavirus, we still lack what we need. We are also reminded that we have no idea what will happen. This is a request about the future, whereas the other requests are about the present.
For Thine Be the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Forever, Amen. Because the Kingdom and Power and Glory are His.
Prayer is first alignment. Then a righteous attempt to change the status quo as we experience it.
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