“When you pray, say: ‘Father, holy be
your name.’ Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us
our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us
to the time of trial.’”
Words so familiar, we might have
trouble seeing them – and yet they represent a radical overturning of cultural,
religious, emotional and economic norms. (Imagine our economy if we forgave all
debts….)
I said to a friend this week that
prayer is not a request line – it is a conversation in the context of a
relationship. Sometimes it isn’t even a conversation, more an experience of
being in God’s presence, a “hanging out with” the divine.
Jesus invites us to address God as
“Abba,” “Dad.” But this “Dad” is the Holy of Holies. Jesus' radical promise is
that the Creator of the heavens and the earth is accessible to us, knows us
intimately, wants to be known by us. Out of this relationship flows our prayer,
and our life. Daily we receive the affirmation of the One who made us and knows
us better than we can know ourselves. We receive instructions, and blessing,
and peace.
Today, try calling God and rest in the
waiting for a few moments.
Maybe say, “Hi, God…. You who are
Creator…Father… You who are holy. I’m here. Who are you?” Rest in that a little while… pay
attention to any responses you sense.
Pay attention to what rises up in you.
Write down anything you feel is
significant.
You have just invested in the one
eternal relationship in your life. You have just opened yourself up to the
power that made vast universes and each tiny cell.
Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment