Our (Lord's) Prayer

When Jesus' friends asked how to pray, they spoke for us.
We often don't know how to talk to God.

So, Jesus said a simple prayer, we can pray everyday.

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.
......... Forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
...... Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
... For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.
Forever.

Amen.

As you pray this prayer everyday and think in new ways
about how God is working in you and speaking to you,
you'll see many different things in the Lord's prayer.

Many.

I've outlined above just one way to realize that the
parts of the prayer are connected to each other
and how they connect to our lives
and connect us to God.

God is our Father. Forever.

God has an incredible kingdom and power in heaven
- Jesus preached that God's kingdom is 'AT HAND.'
- God's kingdom and power and glory is not far off.
- God's kingdom and power and glory is WITH US!

Ps 23 (The Lord is My Shepherd) says,
- 'you lead us in paths of righteousness'
- (which means safe and true paths)
- 'for your name's sake.'
- we follow God. God leads us.
God's name is hallowed... made holy among us
- when God protects us from danger
- and saves us from trouble.
- if the only prayer we can utter is, 'Oh, God help me!'
- God's name is hallowed, and God will hear our cry.

Earthy kingdoms and ruling bodies are set up to
- make sure people pay their debts and
- punish people for breaking the rule of law.
God's kingdom, God's economy and rule calls us
- to forgive debts and things people owe us,
- to forgive people who trespass against us.
- even against 'our property'... because
- it's not ours, it's all God's.

We ask God, the maker of heaven and earth
- to make things 'as' they seem on earth
- like life really 'is' in heaven.
- Make US earth creatures like JesUS, a child of heaven.
And God does this by making US part of JesUS

But Jesus comes first.

Our little "i" must join Christ's Cross "t".
- that's the "it" at the center of our lives.

Amen. ('So be it.') Amen.