Author: Don Guthrie

Have you ever been to a holy place, a place where you felt the need to be silent and respectful?  Maybe a cemetery or a sanctuary?  William Barclay says that  “hallowed be thy name” is often the least understood part of the Lord’s prayer.  When  Jesus used an adjective (holy) as a verb (let it be regarded as holy), he was teaching me to pray that people (all people, including me) would have a similar reaction of respect and reverence for God (His name).  God’s command is “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:12) but stillness, much less reverence is, often, NOT what we give Him.  Today, ask God for this miracle!  Ask Him to open our eyes so that a deep stillness will come over our hearts as we think about the Lord and speak to Him in prayer.

I’m convinced that one of the reasons  Jesus wants me to think about Heaven (and teaches me to do so in His prayer) is the encouragement that comes from it.  “I’m just a poor wayfaring stranger, a traveling through this world of woe, but there’s no sickness, toil or danger in that BRIGHT LAND to which I go.” I wonder what my life could be if I carried an accurate perception of that BRIGHT LAND.  Keep praying, dear friends.  He is not only teaching us how to pray, He is teaching us how to think.

Whenever we pray “which art in heaven”, the Lord is teaching us to THINK about a PLACE that is very DIFFERENT than where we are.  Most of us don’t.  It’s easy to get trapped into thinking that where we are and what we feel is “all there is”.  Take a minute and try this exercise.  What is life like in Heaven?  It may feel strange at first.  Most of us are so focused on the material world that we barely have a concept of the spiritual.  This is NOT what the Lord wants for us.  “Set your minds on what is above, not what is on earth” (Colossians 3:2).  Praying the Lord’s prayer will help.

The moment we say these words, we realize that we are not alone.  The Lord does not teach me to say MY Father, He teaches me to say OUR Father.  As I pray, I imagine (not because it is imaginary, but because we are, typically, so strangled with images of our isolation) a great group of people who are praying this prayer, loving this Father, with me.  Be strong today.  You are not alone.  The Lord has a BIG family and we are seeking him together.

The danger of words is that they lose their power to inspire and involve our minds.  We think we are engaged, but we are actually just repeating words. (Matt 6:7)  The Bible speaks of “meditating” on God’s word (Psalm 1).  Try it today.  Choose one word or phrase in the Lord’s prayer and repeat it to yourself several times (out loud if possible).  Write it down.  Return to it during the day.  The Lord will give you powerful insights as you “reflect” on His word. (2 Timothy 2:7).  It will be your work and His gift. . . and you will be learning to pray like the Lord!

“Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).  That’s what the disciples wanted.  Include me, too.  Prayer is something that (almost) everyone does and everyone could do better.  “When it comes to prayer, we are all beginners” says Philip Yancey.  So, today as you speak the words of Christ, do so slowly.  Consider each phrase.  Jot down any word that is familiar to your tongue but fuzzy in your mind. Choose one phrase or word to carry in your mind the rest of the day.  Remember that these are the words of Jesus Christ.  As you pray like He prays, He is teaching you to think like He thinks.

Re:Verse reading–Matthew 5:17-48 (day seven)

“Do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (vs 39)  The Sermon on the Mount is not a new set of laws.  Our new law is called “the Law of the Spirit” (Romans 8:2)  By walking in the Spirit, we fulfill the Law.  Vs 39 is an illustration of such a life.  It describes a person who recognizes the power of non-retaliation.  This person sees that love in response to anger “heaps coals on the head” of the aggressor (Romans 12:20).  Jesus is not saying that a woman in an abusive relationship should always (or ever) stay and “turn the other cheek”.  He is not speaking of war or law enforcement.  The Lord is describing a person who, in the power of the Spirit, has discovered the power of love.  The right question is “what does love look like. .  .even for my enemies?”

Good morning and welcome to a year long adventure!  For the next 365 days members and friends of FBC SA  will pray the Lord’s prayer together, paying attention to the meaning and purpose of the words of our Lord.  Doing so will teach us to pray and shape our hearts and bless our world.  Thank you for being a part of this soul-shaping discipline.  Let’s get started!