What Now? The Focus

What do you want for Christmas? Ice skates, tools, clothes, a new kitchen gadget, or maybe some toasty mittens for those frosty mornings. Then there is the New Year. What might your wish be for the coming year? Not a repeat of 2020 might be high on everyone's list. For many of us this week leads to the celebration of our Lord's first advent, His first arrival. The commercialized event can bring challenges to one's spirit to not be swept away with the egregious pace of it all. Christmas itself is a bit of an odd holiday. The day chosen nearly 2000 years ago was more political than spiritual but it indeed holds a long standing tradition. Celebrating Messiah's birth still seems like a good thing even if we are off a bit on the date. Which, by the way, isn't given to us precisely in Scripture. So, I will let December 25th be a special day. December 25th in the year 2020 will possibly be like no other in our life time. The CoVid19 residual fear and government restrictions still swirl around us and political tensions are yet to be resolved. Rumors are that 2021 will not be much better, at least at the start. Further restrictions, shutdowns, isolation, and economic hardships are in the forecast. So much for a "Happy New Year". For believers and followers of Messiah Jesus the "What now?" question can be a bit daunting. We want to move forward, but may question how. This is my last post to try to offer some perspective based on the prayer our Lord gave us in Matthew 6. His counsel in prayer applies to broader aspects of our lives as well. We conclude with a thought that should be ours on a daily basis. One that should be our focus in life and one that helps keep our vision clear.

"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:13b). The ending of the prayer brings our focus back to the majesty of the object or focus of our prayer. I understand the textual variants and some leave this phrase out. However, it is one of longstanding, one I learned as a child, and one that cannot be disputed as theologically true. Thus, today we will let it stand. Our tendency in life, be it our physical or spiritual lives, is to maintain comfort. Much of our prayer time is spent on the desire for our comfort or that of someone else. Relief from pain, sickness, distress, financial hardship or some kind of oppression likely fill our prayer journals. Our prayer of daily bread, forgiveness, even for God's kingdom to come may have our comfort at the forefront. We feel powerless and need God's power to make us feel better. To feel more comfortable in whatever situation we find ourselves to be in. Looking forward that may yet be our focus. "Lord give me a comfortable New Year".

Is that really to be the focus of our lives? John the baptizer put it simply, "He must increase but I must decrease" (John 3:30). Life is not about my comfort but about God's kingdom and God's glory. If  my discomfort results in God's glory I should be content. The Apostle Paul recognized this truth. He didn't always enjoy it but he learned to be content. In dealing with an oppression from the devil Paul asked for relief, to be more comfortable. However, he shares this response with the Corinthians. " And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Boasting in my infirmities isn't high on my New Year's list. Paul gives the believers in Corinth some other council as well, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). And the following, "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (2 Corinthians 1:20). God's glory and putting His power on display is apparently more important than being comfortable.

Many of us live as pampered Christians thus our prayer lives may focus on the desire to remain pampered. None of these things are bad or evil but they are self centered. If my objective is to advance God's kingdom, which was the message of our Lord here on earth, my prayer life should coincide with that purpose. My life is to be about God's kingdom, God's power, and God's glory forever. Perhaps our prayers should include the desire for God's glory. "Lord, whatever brings You glory and best advances your kingdom, handle my cancer in what is best for You. I am your servant", rather than just, "Take away the cancer and heal me, let me be comfortable." Healing may be God's way of putting His power and glory on display. However, if another path is more effective in advancing His kingdom am I willing to be content or even desirous for the disease to progress? Not an easy thought to ponder. 

The new year may hold some difficult, even evil, occurrences as the weeks unfold. Should the progressive party prevail our religious liberties may be curtailed. Messages on God's view of marriage and the value of life could be hate speech. The ongoing pandemic will give more opportunities to target houses of worship to be shut down. Medical care could be rationed or required by our governing authorities. Our enemies may prosper and our allies suffer on multiple levels. I am not wishing for these and I am not a prophet, however, we would be naive to ignore the possibilities. In all of the potential of the days and months to come what will be our focus? God's kingdom, power, and glory or our personal comfort and a pampered life hidden in the shadows. If you study the Scriptures or even history, those who stood boldly for God's glory did not always fair well in this world. Yet, their focus was on advancing God's kingdom and glory no matter what the cost. How will we answer the. "What now?" question?  Will it be about just our comfort? Or will our focus be on God's kingdom, power, and glory? I suppose we also have the option to just leave out that final phrase of the Lord's prayer and take comfort in the shadows. But there is not much glory in that.

What Now? The Kingdom

Has life improved over the last week? Has a little less stress and a little more confidence in the future become your reality? Probably not. They speak of a new surge in the Covid19 pandemic. New government restrictions and a limited Christmas celebration. It is all for our good, so they say. The cacophony of voices can drown out that still small voice of, "Peace on earth, good will toward men." In my last post I spoke of assurance we can find in a common prayer that many of us have memorized. It is recorded for us in Matthew 6 and Luke 11. A reminder that God is our heavenly Father. He has a perspective that we can lean on and a love we can trust. Our heavenly Father is not unaware of our situation. We are welcome to call Him, Abba, and rest in His arms of comfort and protection. In the times and situations we find ourselves in we may adopt a, sort of, bunker mentality. "Keep your distance and just let me hide away until it is all over." However, that attitude may well be self defeating when it comes to God's answer to the "What Now?" question. God's prayer not only gives us comfort it also gives us purpose.

"Your kingdom come, Your will be done", is the request we are to make of the Lord God Almighty. It is a thought provoking phrase. If I do not pray will that prohibit the coming of His kingdom? And what of God's will? In the long run can we ever escape His will? I mean, isn't God going to do what He desires to do? As sovereign Lord doesn't He have this all worked out in advance? If I sequester myself in my basement would it make any difference? That odd tension between God's will and my responsibility never seems to go away. Paul's question to the Romans's in 10:14 comes into play when we think of hiding in our attics. "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" We are the answer to the "how." Praying, like faith, takes action if it is going to be effective. James uses a bit of an edge as he directs those scattered to have a faith that works. James 2:16, "One of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what good is it?" If you are praying for God's Kingdom to come you need to be doing things to advance His kingdom now, day by day. Covid or not, government edicts or not, we are to be actively advancing His kingdom. We still have a purpose. We still have responsibilities.

To accomplish this we simply have to do God's will. That, in and of itself, could fill a significant number of posts. Knowing and doing God's will has been a means of selling a plethora of books while leaving many a weary believer feeling inept or discouraged. Jesus asks us to pray that God's will would be done, "on earth as it is in heaven." That is supposed to be helpful. However, I have yet to visit heaven or have viewed a valid documentary on exactly how heaven works. I do imagine it runs smoother and more in tune with God's will than our current situation here on earth. Fortunately the Lord has given us a book on establishing His kingdom readily available to most of us. We need to be well versed in His Word if we are to know His will. Let me just give a few hints that may be helpful. We should be those who live by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is a bit easier to know. The Apostle Paul was directed to give the Galatians a list of nine aspects of the Spirit's fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Each day, even each moment, allows us to put this fruit on display. Our responsibility is to incorporate these various aspects of Spiritual fruit into our lives. It is fairly easy to imagine that being in glory would reflect these attitudes so we can both, do God's will, and advance His kingdom, as we live out Spiritual fruit.

Society is fragmented and hatred has spread like a cancer infecting millions. Sacrificial Godly love is the cure. We are surrounded by anxiety and fear so showing joy and peace would be a kingdom response. How about those lines with angry people joining in the odd contest of toilet paper hording? Could a bit of patience and self control put God's kingdom on display? Our communities could obviously use some gentleness and kindness. That just leaves the opportunity to weave a bit of faithfulness and goodness into our interaction with the local representatives of humanity. With that we are on our way to doing God's will and helping to get a little of His heavenly kingdom into our earthly realm. Could that be doable? We could even start tomorrow with minimal training. We simply need to make the choice to produce spiritual fruit instead of the world's corruption. It is one simple step forward that does not require governmental approval or the "right" person in the White House. 

What now? How about coming confidently to our loving heavenly Father, trusting in His care. Then we might start praying for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done. We could go about advancing His kingdom a little each day. There are lots of ways to be obedient. If you need a place to begin, living out His Spiritual fruit might be a place to start. It certainly couldn't hurt.

The Lord's Prayer Is Not For You

As the New  Year begins we may have determined that we need to enhance or begin a stronger prayer life. A few months ago we took time to look at the "Lord's Prayer" recorded for us in Matthew 6 and Luke 11. We considered the prayer phrase by phrase and, hopefully, gained a few insights as how to come to the Lord and how we might offer prayer to the God Who longs for us to come to Him. Having given this a little more thought there are a couple of additional things to consider that we have overlooked. In our Western culture we may well see the prayer as one given to us as a model or type of prayer to copy as individual believers. That this is a prayer just for me and about how I can address the needs in my life. It is certainly true that there is personal application and direction for my prayers here, but was that really the intent of the disciple's question or the Lord's response?

Luke 11:1 records the introduction to the prayer given, "Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” The request was one that would give them a prayer uniquely from their Rabbi, just as other Rabbis had given their disciples prayers to recite. Part of the tradition of rabbinical instruction was that of prayers to recite. John the Baptist had his disciples and he had taught them prayers to recite as a group. The request was not, "Teach me to pray", but "Teach us to pray." Shared prayers of the Hebrew community was common. The reciting of morning prayers and evening prayers among the Jews continues to this day. The Lord gave Moses a specific prayer of blessing for Aaron and his sons after him to recite over God's people.  “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26). It is a blessing still proclaimed today. It is a prayer of blessing for the whole community not just an individual. The prayer the Lord gave His disciples reflects that. "Give us this day", "deliver us", "forgive us", (emphasis added). It is not about me, it is about us.

If we take this to heart it could bring some changes to our prayer life in the year to come. If you have not, take a little time to memorize the prayer. Many assemblies already recite the prayer regularly and repetition is a good way to memorize. If this is the case you have a bit of a head start. Consider keeping this prayer in mind as you pray for those around you. That they all would recognize the intimacy of the Father with you. That they all would see God's daily provision and live in anticipation of His coming Kingdom. That they would be bold enough to offer a plea to be rescued daily from evil and testing that can damage our confidence in the LORD. As we integrate this community prayer into our prayer for the community we will become less focused on ourselves and more on those around us. That blessing for Aaron and his sons is another prayer to add to your memory and draw from as you come to the Lord in prayer. The disciples were not looking for an individual prayer but for a prayer to share. A prayer to recite together and to draw from as they prayed for one another.

One final thought. Many of us in the evangelical community shy away from reciting prayers as a congregation. The fear is that they might become routine and lose their meaning. That somehow "liturgy" is a bad thing. It is just repetitive words that lack individual passion. Yet, God's people have been reciting prayers for generations and generations. The "Shema" is certainly a positive passage that pretty much all Jews know. It comes from the first word "hear" in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength." Not a bad reminder. Add verses 6 through 9 and we have a purpose for life and direction to pass onto generations to come. There are other doxologies God has given us from Romans 11:33-36, Philippians 4:20, 1 Timothy 1:17, and Jude 1:24-25 to name a few. Perhaps we would do well to fill our hearts and minds with the prayers and praises of Scripture to recite as a community or to use as we pray for the community. In so doing we may discover that our prayer lives become a bit less egocentric and bit more about those around us and those we come to call brothers and sisters in Christ. Why not wake up in the morning and proclaim God's blessing upon your community or quietly remember that He is able to keep us all from stumbling. Remember that prayer the Lord gave His disciples, was not just for you, so don't keep it to yourself.

"Pray on Purpose"

Most of humanity wants to believe they are here for some kind of purpose. Preferably one that has an enough of an impact that we are remembered by those we care about. A life that lacks purpose can lead to depression and diminishes the value that should be ours. The God who created us did so on purpose. He gave you life on purpose and wants you to both realize and enjoy your purpose for being here. Over the past few blog posts we have been reviewing Matthew 6:9-13, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer. As we come toward the end of our study we find this final phrase, "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." You will not find it as easily in the NIV or ESV Bible translations for there is some academic question as to whether the phrase belongs. We are going to accept the long standing tradition and include it. The point here is not to enter into a discussion concerning textual criticism but to recognize that the closing phrase is a pretty good way to end any prayer. If you do not think it belongs you can find the same encouragement elsewhere in Scripture.

If we take this instruction seriously we will not only have a prayer to follow we also have purpose in life. Fellowship with our Heavenly Father is rewarding, comforting, and provides direction. The truth that the God of all creation finds great pleasure in having you as a child and looks forward to talking with you is a pretty good way to boost your personal value quotient. This Heavenly Father also has a kingdom yet to come, as well as a kingdom in the present. Our prayer for this kingdom to advance calls us to be involved as kingdom citizens. We also partake in the power provided to advance this kingdom. Acts 1:8, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” To provide a witness of an eternal kingdom with no death, pain, or sorrow, seems like a rewarding purpose for life. The reminder of power also points back to the "daily bread" phrase where we were prompted to reflect on our dependence and God's constant provision. God knows our needs and has the power to provide. In a world filled with reasons to feel insecure we have assurance that the Lord is involved, He is aware and He cares for His children.

God's glory is likewise never ending. Colossians 3:4 tells us we will share in that glory, "And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." The wonder of Who the Lord is, is also ours to share in. 1 John 3:2, "Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is." We shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. Quite the promise. Our call, our purpose, is to be involved in His kingdom, His power and His glory, forever. Not a bad purpose. In all we do, in all we say, in the life that He has given to us we have a purpose. We set His name apart as a name above all names. We labor, with joy, to see His kingdom advanced. We rest in His daily provision as we provide for others. We forgive in such a way that others can see how God forgives. We overcome tests and temptation by coming to Him for protection and rest. We are not just looking to the here and now for purpose but a purpose that is forever. Amen!

God's Leading Me Where?!?

Have you ever asked God for direction? Have you asked Him to lead you in the right path, to make the right decisions? Most of us have, be it direction for a job, school, church to attend, place we should live, even who we should marry. We are encouraged to ask, to pray for direction even to follow David's example in Psalm 25:4, "Make me know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths." It seems reasonable that we would want to be on the right path. Asking the Lord to keep us on the right path is a pretty common request. However, have you ever thought about asking God to not lead you? In this series of posts we have been considering the instructions Rabbi Jesus gave to His disciples. The phrase we consider today is an unusual request. The disciples are instructed to ask God, their Father in heaven to not do something.

The phrase is, "And do not lead us into temptation" (Matthew 6:13a). Why do we specificity need to ask God to NOT lead us into temptation. Why would God lead us there? I thought James wrote that this couldn't happen? James 1:13 says, "Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone." If God does not tempt anyone, then why are we instructed to ask Him to not lead us there? Perhaps a look at the Greek words will shed some light on this apparent dilemma. The Greek word translated "lead" is eispherō, It means to lead or to bring in. It appears only seven times in the New Testament. Here in Matthew 6, and in Luke 11, the other version of the Lord's Prayer, where it is translated lead. The other five instances the word is translated "brought" as in Luke 5 where they "brought" the paralyzed man to Jesus. Either way Matthew's record of this prayer is that God would not lead or bring us into temptation.

The real help comes from understanding the word translated "temptation". This is the Greek word, peirasmos. It does indeed mean temptation; however, it is also commonly translated test or trial. A test or trial may be a positive thing or a negative thing. It depends on where it comes from and how we respond. Satan brings temptations to wound us and to draw us into sin. We are not exempt from these things. Messiah had this experience. Luke 4:13 records the encounter between the Lord and the devil in the wilderness, "Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time." This temptation was meant to harm. Peter gives us another perspective. 1 Peter 1:6, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials." We rejoice in spite of the trials that come upon us. James takes it a step further telling us, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (James 1:2). It is through trials or temptations that we grow in patience and strength in the Lord. Peter tells us that these trials are to be expected. "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you" (1 Peter 4:12). Trials are God's way of bringing us to maturity. Resistance will build our "faith muscles". It is through these kinds of temptations that we gain strength as we trust and depend upon the Lord.

We cannot void these faith building experiences. They are God-designed to help us grow in faithfulness and patience as well as having the experience to help others as they travel down their path with the Lord. Our experience can help them in their spiritual journey. This is the positive aspect of those trials and temptations. Yet, we all know that we have weaknesses that can tempt us to stumble. Those temptations can lead us into wrong thinking, wrong decisions and sin. James made that clear. It is, therefore, wise to ask the Lord to protect us from exposures to those weaknesses, those temptations. Lord as you lead me through this day do not let my path wander into areas where I will fall into destructive temptations. Instead deliver me. Which is what we will look into next week.

Temptations, trials, and tests will come. Count on it. The question is what will you do with it? We want to depend upon the Lord and know success and victory. However, some times the best victory comes from avoiding the battle where we are vulnerable to fail. Asking our Heavenly Father to not lead us toward paths of temptation but to protect us and lead us in the paths of righteousness is a prayer worth praying.

Self Impossed Destruction

What are the greatest threats to your life? We may look at the world and come up with an imposing list as we see raging forest fires, erupting volcanoes, unstable economies, wars and rumors of wars. The world can be a pretty threatening place. However there may be even greater threats much closer to home. Threats that can grow within our very souls. Quiet thoughts that fester like silent cancers quietly destroying our lives. The past few posts here at Torah Paranoia have been a review of, what is commonly known as, The Lord's Prayer. In Matthew 6 and again in Luke 11, we find some instructions on prayer from Rabbi Jesus, our Messiah. Today's portion may well be the most challenging and the most important. Matthew 6:12 reads, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Luke's version in 11:4 is as follows, "And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us." Asking the Lord for forgiveness is a pretty common prayer for most believers. However, there is more to this prayer than asking forgiveness.

The Lord instructs His disciples to ask forgiveness based on the attitude of forgiveness that is already at work in their lives. We are to ask God to forgive us in the same fashion that we have and are forgiving others. We are asking God to follow our example of forgiveness. Our desire is that God, Himself, will model His forgiveness after our forgiveness of others. Forgiveness is a huge deal to God. He knows that lack of forgiveness leads to bitterness which will poison our lives. Lack of forgiveness is incredibly destructive. Back in the days of David, David had a trusted advisor named, Ahithophel. You will find the account in 2 Samuel 16. David's son, Absolom, is trying to kill David and take the throne by force. Ahithophel sides with Absolom to the point of asking to be the one to personally kill David. Why would this close friend and advisor to King David want to see David dead? If you check out the genealogies you will find that Bathsheba is his grand daughter. The woman David took, had her husband killed, and the result was that Ahithophel's great grandson died. Those are some pretty hefty sins to forgive. Ahithophel's counsel to Absolom is rejected so he kills himself. Actually, his unforgiving heart bred a bitterness that was waiting to take his life all along.

Forgiveness is so important God recorded a personal letter from the Apostle Paul to his friend Philemon that is a letter calling for forgiveness. A slave Philemon owned, named Onesimus, has apparently stolen from him and run away. Most guess that Onesimus was a trusted house servant so the violation to his master, Philemon, is no small matter. Onesimus has come to faith under the ministry of Paul. Paul sends him back to Philemon interceding on behalf of Onesimus. Philemon is asked to put Ephesians 4:32 into action, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

The Lord, Jesus, also shares a parable about forgiveness that has some unsettling words. It is a tale of a man who owed his lord a massive debt. He pleads for forgiveness and that is granted. The forgiven man then assaults a fellow servant who owes him pennies and has him thrown in prison. When the master finds out this unforgiving servant is also cast into prison. The account in in Matthew 18. The point of the parable comes in verse 35, “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Our forgiveness is also to be generous, seventy times seven to begin with (Matthew 18:22). Forgiveness is not optional it is required of the children of God. We are to reflect our Heavenly Father's heart of forgiveness before we ask for forgiveness for ourselves. If we do not forgive, we are told God will not forgive.

I have been in ministry long enough to see the instructive power of an unforgiving heart. I have seen families torn apart as one spouse cannot forgive another. Children haunted by wounds they will not release. Churches have been torn apart by the bitterness of an unforgiving spirit. A lack of forgiveness is also a sign of pride. Pride is a partner with a lack of forgiveness that leaves untold numbers in its ruinous wake. The unforgiving one is never satisfied and often fails to see their own life sucked down into darkness. It is a tragic waste of life.

If there are unhealed wounds that are preserved by unforgiveness it is time to let them go. Death in some measure awaits the bitter soul. Do not let pride keep you from His grace. God does warn us that, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble " (James 4:6). It is time to forgive, so that God can forgive and pour out His grace upon your wounded heart. "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." is no small thing before the God Whose name we are to hallow, to honor, to respect. Your Heavenly Father waits to brings to bring His forgiveness to you. This time it depends on you.

Daily Bread or What's For Dinner?

What things are on your daily prayer list? Maybe members of your family, someone struggling, your nation, these are all important and even have some Biblical support. What about bread? Jesus told His disciples that their prayer was to include this request,"Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). Praying to and honoring our Heavenly Father seems appropriate. Praying for His Kingdom and will to be done seems like that should be a priority as well. But daily bread? I mean, this does not seem like a real problem for most of us. Bread is readily available in a variety of shapes, flavors, with and without gluten. Then add pastries, donuts, bagels, and desserts and I have more bread than I should even eat. At the time of the writing of Matthew bread was a needed staple of life. There were occasional famines however, with the size and network that was the Roman Empire, bread could usually be found. So why would the disciples be instructed to pray for bread every day?

Bread was actually a pretty big deal when Rabbi Jesus spoke these words. Bread meant a great deal to the Jews. There was the Feast of Unleavened Bread that they were required to keep. The traditional Seder meal had a focus on the bread. The Feast of Tabernacles was a reminder that God had provided bread, manna, everyday for forty years as they wandered in the wilderness. Bread was simply woven into Jewish society and culture in a way that elevated this common food to something that carried a special meaning several times a year. Jesus, would refer to himself as "The bread of life" in John 6:35, and "the bread that comes down from heaven" (John 6:41). We remember the Lord's death with the breaking of bread, as He instructed us to. God uses bread to illustrate the common and basic needs of life. He lets us know that this bread is also true of His Son. Meaning our very lives are dependent upon God's Son.

Praying, "Give us this day our daily bread" can actually be a very meaningful prayer. Bread is essential for survival. Starvation is not a pleasant thought. However, the application of the prayer goes well beyond what is for dinner. It ca be a reminder of just how dependent we are upon the Lord to provide for us. Every breath, every heart beat, is a gift from Him. When we come to a place where we think little about our daily needs we can miss the reality that we really are totally dependent upon our Heavenly Father and His Son for everything in life, and the life yet to come. We also miss how remarkably gracious He is, how dependable and trustworthy He is. The reason I do not think much about bread is due to the fact that it is always available. Just as the True Bread form Heaven is with me every moment of every day. Perhaps, there is a good reason to place this request into our daily prayers. God's faithfulness can easily be overlooked and even forgotten. He is my bread of life every day of my life. It seems to me that the Lord is directing us to pause during our busy days and thank God for the wonder of His daily Bread. It certainly couldn't hurt. It might even help to remind us of the constant care of our Heavenly Father.

Do We Really Want God's Kingdom?

We are told we should pray and probably feel like we may not pray enough but, did anyone give you a tutorial on prayer when you began your walk with Him? If not, you re not alone. Even the disciples of Rabbi Jesus looked for direction. Even if you think you have prayer down to an art, there are likely some things you can glean from these instructional verses found in Matthew 6. We looked a bit deeper into verse 9 recognizing the balance between God as Abba Father and the holiness of His name. What follows is probably the most difficult aspect of the Lord's instruction on prayer. It seems pretty safe on the surface. However, if we return it to the context of a Jewish rabbi speaking to his Jewish disciples and a whole lot of Jewish people on a hillside, we may find that it takes us where we do not want to go. Maybe it will give us some second thoughts about praying for God's kingdom to come.

Matthew 6:10 is as follows, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"(KJV). Do you pray for God's kingdom to come? Would you like to be living in that kingdom now? There is a glorious future to be had when the Lord Messiah rules and reigns, but, what about today? Do you really want to be involved in Kingdom living today? The Jewish disciples were certainly interested in the Kingdom of God. They had waited for generations for Messiah, the anointed one of God, to come and establish that kingdom. Their hope was that this rabbi they followed was indeed the long anticipated deliverer. However, their expectation was that of an earthly kingdom where Messiah would rule with power and authority. Israel would have all of their promised land and would never be sub-servant to anyone ever again. They would be free from Roman tyranny and be the unrivaled world power. We also wait in expectation for that kingdom. We know that it will come, in God's time. So we are in agreement with those first century Jews up to this point. "Even so, come Lord Jesus" is a pretty good prayer in the light of the condition of the world today.

Kingdom living does have a few perimeters that the disciples understood as well. "Thy will be done" is a directive we should also place in context. The disciples and the Jews on the hillside know what God's will was. He had written it down for them back at Mount Sinai. It was known as Torah. It's application and consequences were recorded and exemplified in the Writings and the Prophets. God's will for His people was to follow His directions and instructions as to how best to live. These were God's commandments and directives. They were not suggestions or a list of things to pick and choose from. For the disciples to pray, "Thy will be done" was to express their desire to be obedient to Torah and obedient to all God had revealed concerning life and worship. God had not left them in the dark and unlike the gods and goddesses worshiped by the surrounding nations, God's directions were firm and consistent. They knew what God, their Heavenly Father, required of them.

This prayer for the application of God's Word and will was not just for the Jews but "on earth as it is in heaven". It iis to apply to the whole earth. God's will is always done in heaven, there in His dwelling place. His angelic messengers do what He tells them to do. There are times when God takes counsel from those in His heavenly court (see 1 Kings 22:19-22) however, His word is final. The disciples are instructed to pray that the will of God, obedience to His commandments and instructions, become world wide and followed without question. We know that a time is coming when Messiah will reign over all the earth. We also know that, at that time, His Word, meaning Torah, will be universally obeyed as well. Jeremiah 31:31-34 makes that clear. Having Torah written on everyone's hearts and in our minds is an aspect of His coming kingdom.

The question for us is what do we do with this now? Was this prayer just for the Jewish disciples and the Jews who listened to the words of Messiah? Do we really want to pray that God's will, revealed in Torah and God's Word, be obeyed in our lives and the lives of those that inhabit this planet? Perhaps, we can conclude that this is a prayer for life in the coming kingdom. "Thy will be done", as the disciples would have understood it can't possibly apply to believers today, can it? Or maybe God's will has changed. We are told the Law does not apply to those under grace. Now we just need to love God and love people like Jesus said in Matthew22:37-39. You know, where He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. But, how do we know how to love God and people? Matthew 22:40 helps us out, these two commandments are a summary of Torah and the Prophets. We can find all the details as how to love God and people there. If it only applied to us.

The reality is we agree with most of those 613 directives the rabbis have found in the Law and the Prophets. Remove those directives given specifically to the Levites and those pesky dietary laws and we, as modern followers of Messiah, are in agreement far more often than we might think. If we applied just the basic Ten Commandments world wide this might be a nicer planet to live on. It might even feel a bit like heaven on earth. Maybe, "Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" isn't such a bad prayer after all. 

Tender Father or Distant God

They say familiarity breeds contempt. Which is a way to warn us that we can get used to things and take them for granted. If you were asked to quote Matthew 6:9-13 you might pause for a moment. Perhaps even wonder what these verses might be. However, you could most likely quote them with just a little prompting. "Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." Sound familiar? Perhaps you know a more modern translation like "Our Father who is in heaven, holy is Your name." There is a strong possibility you are familiar with the passage, you just usually do not quote the chapter and verse. The Lord's prayer, or perhaps the disciple's prayer, is one of the most commonly known passages in all of Christendom. No matter if you are Catholic, Orthodox or some flavor of Protestant, this is a passage we can quote together. The words were provided by Rabbi Yeshua to His disciples when they asked Him how to pray. It was not an unusual request. Jewish rabbis often taught their disciples prayers to recite and model prayers to follow. It is a good prayer. But, has it become so common that we do not really take the time to consider what the Lord was teaching?

Referring to God as Father was not a new concept for the Jews. In Psalm 86:5 David writes, "A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation." Speaking of Solomon, God tells David, "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son" (2 Samuel 7:14).  God has been the One who has repeatedly rescued Israel; He is their tender Father. He also disciplined them as a loving father. Hebrews 12:7 reminds us of that truth, "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?" The Apostle Paul proclaims that we can see God as our intimate father, calling Him Abba Father, a most familiar name not unlike our word "daddy". God is our tender and compassionate father who is there to care for us, encourage us, correct us and to love us unconditionally.

Knowing humanity as well as He does, Messiah Jesus, gives us more than a reminder of God's tenderness as a father. Jesus also gives us a reminder of God's majesty. This is the God of the Heavenlies. He is the God who is above all and oversees all. He is not the god of a nation, He is the God of the universe and beyond. The worlds cannot contain Him. This truth cuts both ways, He is that God and Father who has the power and presence to care for us like no other. He is not the god of the Romans, or the Philistines made of wood or stone. No, He is the God of creation Who is also our loving Father. It should give us great confidence in prayer and security as we move through each day. However, Jesus reminds us that even though God is our Father, He is not to be taken lightly or for granted. The God of the heavens is also holy.

The Greek word is, hagios, the companion Hebrew word is, qodesh, they both mean to separate or to be set aside. To be sacred, set apart from what is common. God is not to be treated profanely. He is not to be seen as common or ordinary. He is not to be viewed as just another being. This father is unique in His majesty and glory. In Isaiah 43:15, God reminds Israel of Who He is, for Israel has forgotten and treated the Lord with contempt. "I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." The disciples would be well familiar with Exodus 20:7, the third commandment, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain." God's name is to be exalted above all names. His name is not to be used profanely. Saying,"Oh my God, the traffic was terrible" is not a prayer. I am not sure replacing "God" with "gosh" is that much better. The disciples had great respect for God's name. It was holy, set apart, from all other names. It was never even spoken so to be sure not to use it in a common fashion. It should be held in reverence by us as well. We can take comfort in God as our Father, however, we should never get used to Him, in the sense that He is just another being we occasionally pray to. He is both tender and Holy. His name is to be held in high honor. When was the last time we let the wonder of all God is touch the depth of our souls at the mere mention of His name?

The danger we may face is treating our heavenly Father as we might treat our earthly fathers. Letting some distance build up and communication break down. As an earthly father, time with my children is precious. Communication is treasured. Unlike the days when our Lord gave His disciples this prayer our families are scattered. Our days are overflowing. Our schedules overloaded and our "to do" lists unending. Relationships suffer. It has become a part of life. It may leave us with times when, as full as life is, people seem distant. Generations no longer surround the family farm. Regular "family time" becomes an event rather than the routine. Our culture and society has made texting and an occasional e-mail a substitute for family intimacy. We may schedule a moment or two for touching base now and then, but it is difficult to experience that real communication the old close community had to offer. It is not by intent or design. It is just how life has evolved in much of the world. 

The same can become true with our Heavenly Father. Schedules get tight and, as a father, God understands and is forgiving, treasuring the time we have for Him. However, taking the time to truly fellowship with the Holy One of Israel may be more than we can fit in. God is so much more than just your tender, forgiving, heavenly dad. He is to be held in awe and worshiped in humility. The simple mention of His name should fill us with a little sense of wonder. If you feel that the God of Heavens is a bit distant. it unlikely that He is the one who moved away. Messiah Jesus knew that His followers needed the balance of a Heavenly Father and a Holy God if they were to grow in grace and holiness themselves. He is your tender Father; do not allow Him to become your distant God.