by Christie Ridenhour
How many times have you said the Lord’s Prayer? For some, this is a large number; for others, the number may be small. A more provocative question might be,"how many times have I just recited the Lord’s Prayer and not really thought about what I was saying?" For me, this number is embarrassingly large.
I pray this week, that as our congregation reflects upon the Lord’s Prayer and on our prayer life overall, we are able to find deeper meaning and understanding of this gift from God. I pray that as we pray the Lord’s Prayer together in worship, that this prayer is not just recited, but that it is prayed with thought, reflection, and understanding.
As you begin each day's meditation, I call upon you to say the Lord's Prayer, slowly and deliberately. Focus on each word and phrase. Reflect on the goodness and grace of our Lord.
Day 1 – Read Matthew 6:5-6
By telling us what not to do, "do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corner, so that they may be seen by others," Jesus is giving us clear direction as to what to do with our prayers. He is asking us to be contemplative; to be sincere. Our prayers are not for public approval, but instead are a conversation, a supplication between the person offering up the prayer and God.
In verse 6, we are exhorted to "go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret." I don’t believe Jesus is directing us to hide when we pray, but instead to find a place without distractions; a place where we are comfortable, like our own room.
Do you find it difficult to pray? Are there distractions that "get in the way?" As you pray today, be deliberate in your prayers. Find a place where you are comfortable and where distractions can be shut out. Open your mind and your heart and hear God speak to you. Amen
Day 2 – Read Matthew 6:7-8
Are there no more comforting words than those found in verse 8, "...for your Father knows what you need before you ask him?" How comforting to know that even as I struggle to discern my own needs, God already knows them. As I wrestle to speak the "right" words in my prayers, the Holy Spirit is there to intercede on my behalf. Look at Romans 8:26-27. What a blessing to know that my hurts, happiness and hallelujahs are lifted up for me as I struggle to articulate them. As you pray today, reflect upon the words written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome. Give thanks that God knows our needs, even if we do not. Amen
Day 3 – Read Matthew 6:9
The exhortation to pray to "Our Father" begins in this verse. God as our heavenly father is not a new idea to the Hebrew people. In Isaiah 64:8, we are told, "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." God is not just my heavenly Father, but is yours as well. He is the heavenly Father of us all, which binds us together as a community of believers. God's name is "hallowed." It is holy. It is sacred. Again, this is not a new concept to God's people. We are reminded of the Second Commandment (Exodus 21:7) to not take the Lord's name in vain.
In the Large Catechism, Part III, Line 38, Martin Luther writes: So that we should realize that we are under the great necessity of duly honoring his name and keeping it holy and sacred, regarding it as the greatest treasure and most sacred thing we have, and praying, as good children, that his name, which is already holy in heaven may also be kept holy on earth by us and all the world.
As you pray today, reflect on how you use the name of the Lord during your day. Do you use it in reverence? Do you treat it as the sacred name of your heavenly Father? Praise his holy name! Amen.
Day 4 – Read Matthew 6:10
God's kingdom comes to us through the Word and our faith in that word. God's kingdom will come to us in the final days, as we are given eternal life. God works through us such that his will can be done on earth. We provide the earthly body for that will to be done. In Galatians 3: 20, we are reminded that, "It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." As you pray today, reflect upon how you are the mirror of God. The love of God is bestowed upon you by our heavenly father and reflects from you to others. Let his love and grace shine on those around you. Amen
Day 5 – Read Matthew 6:11,13
These two verses address our need for protection. When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread" it is not just a reference to food, but refers to all that we need to survive. We are petitioning for protection from hunger, and from the elements. We also need protection from temptation. According to Luther, there are three kinds of temptation: the flesh, the world and the devil. Temptations of the flesh include: laziness, gluttony, fraud, drunkenness, unchastity. Temptations of the world drive us to feelings of: envy, hatred, anger – just to name a few. Then there is temptation from the devil. In the Large Catechism, Part III, Line 104, Luther writes:
that the [devil's] purpose is to make us scorn and despise both the Word and the works of God, to tear us away from faith, hope and love, to draw us into unbelief, false security, and stubbornness or, on the contrary, to drive us into despair, atheism, blasphemy and countless other abominable sins.
Without God's Word and assurances of protection from the "devil and all his empty promises," I would be afraid to get out of bed in the morning. As you pray today, read Ephesians 6: 10-17. Take up the entire armor of God and ask for protection from all that can separate you from Him. Amen
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