The Lord’s Prayer – Based on Matthew 6
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.

Amen.

Reflection:
So, am I the only one that needs to slow way down to pray the Lord’s prayer? When I say it at the normal pace, it’s way too easy to run on by the challenging parts, which is basically all of it. The disciples earnestly asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, and he obliges. Step one is straightforward – we bless God by acknowledging God’s position and holiness. We can do that. God is God, and God is holy, and we are not God. But then we come to an intersection and a possible battle of wills. THY kingdom come, THY will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

They say when you have been married for a long time you start to sound alike, and if you have ever sat near my husband and me in Fellowship Hall for Contemporary Worship, you may have overheard the (over) emphasis on THY when we pray The Lord’s Prayer.

Just think about the perfection of God and what God’s kingdom will look like at completion. Now imagine what Suzi’s kingdom would look like. Even with the best intentions, my kingdom would be flawed from day one. We want God’s kingdom here and now, in the midst of this sinful world. We see glimpses of the kingdom of God in our communities and our families when we are striving to love one another; to right wrongs, to help those who so desperately need it, to learn the ways of righteousness and unlearn the ways that cause pain. We see glimpses when it’s going well. But we know we are not there yet.

When my son was a little guy and excited for a special day, he would ask, “Is today tomorrow?” I’d answer, “No honey, not yet. Today is not tomorrow.” We want so badly to realize the kingdom of God, and while there are glimpses now, until the kingdom is ushered in its fullness, we can walk it out a day at a time, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us as we are invited to be part of the transformation of this world.

In the last part of the prayer, we acknowledge God once again for good measure: “For THINE is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.” The kingdom isn’t ours, but it’s ours to participate in, to show God’s love and be his hands and feet. It’s here and now, and it’s not yet. As I told my young son, “Not yet, honey. Today is not tomorrow, but it’s coming.”

Closing Prayer:
Loving and faithful God. We thank you so much for who you are and whose we are – yours, dear Lord. Jesus, you taught us to pray. Help us to slow down and attend to each word, transferring all control to you so that you can use us for the flourishing of your kingdom here on earth. Amen.