What Now? Humble Trust

 Wouldn't it be nice if God just did what we asked on our time schedule? We ask for good things and it often seems to take an extraordinary amount of time before anything happens. There are those moments when the Lord seems to answer even before we ask. However, it is not unusual for us to sit in  that heavenly waiting room to receive some response from the Almighty. As we have noted, 2020 has been a difficult year for many people and God's people are not exempt. For some, the turmoil from the American election goes on unabated. In addressing these things there are still things we can do. Advancing God's kingdom does not stop due to a virus or the outcome of an election. With that in mind we have been looking to the familiar verses of Matthew 6:9-13, what is commonly known as, "The Lord's Prayer".

First, we are called to keep going forward, knowing that our heavenly Father is with us. By His holy name we can find comfort and purpose. Second, we were reminded to advance His kingdom. We can do so in a variety of ways, one being the opportunity and responsibility to live out the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. The world needs to see the children of God putting, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, on display. The Lord's encouraging words go on to instruct us to pray for God to give us our daily bread and to be those whose lives are marked by forgiveness. They are examples of holding a humble trust for the God and Father Who loves us.

For some of us praying for, "Our daily bread", might seem a bit of a waste of time. After all many of us live beyond abundance. Finding daily bread might seem easier that trying to curb the intake of bread to help reduce our waste-lines. The phrase would be more meaningful if we were Jewish folk following Messiah Jesus around the highways and byways of Judea. Daily bread was an absolute necessity for the Hebrews during forty years of wilderness wanderings. Manna was the daily bread that came down from heaven to allow the children of Israel to survive. Without God's daily provision the people would have perished. It was a powerful reminder that they were fully dependent upon the Lord for their survival. If you have food in the cupboard such dependence and trust might seem unnecessary. We live in the illusion of self sufficiency. It is humbling to recognize our dependence upon God. Jesus is our bread from heaven. We need Him daily, moment by moment, if we are to survive in this fallen world. John 6:35 explains, "And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." We need to be humble, trusting, dependent, people if we are to advance His kingdom and move forward in the days to come.

Humility is one of those difficult things to foster and integrate into our lives. We prefer to be independent and self sufficient. This trait may become glaringly obvious when someone offends us. We say things like, "I don't get mad, I get even" or "I can forgive but I will never forget". We hang onto offenses and irritations like they were precious metals. Morbid jewels infesting our lives or closeted away in lock boxed memories. The guardian of pride protects the hurt and eventually sucks the very life from our bones. The Lord knows the danger. Thus, He instructs us to forgive those who have trespassed or become indebted to our wounded spirits. It takes a humble person to forgive. It is often much easier to proudly hold onto the trespass or emotional debt we maintain in their account. It is wise to remember this warning from James, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). If we are to ask our Heavenly Father's forgiveness we must forgive others as well. We cannot move forward anchored to past hurts and preserved transgressions.

The New Year is approaching. Many are praying this would be a year of revival and the outpouring of God's Spirit in new and refreshing ways. To see God's will done here on earth as it is in heaven. If we are to be a part of that revival or to have the power of prayer with us, we need to be those who live with humble trust. To come to the Lord fresh every morning asking to to nourished by the very Bread of Heaven Who rescues our souls. We must be those quick to forgive and slow to take offense. To follow Paul's directions to the Ephesians in 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." 

There are yet a few more  forward thoughts here in Matthew 6, but this is enough to think about for this week. What now? Maybe we need a little more of that humble trust and forgiving spirit if we are to advance God's kingdom in the days to come. 

What Now? Going Forwrd.

 How do you feel about the past months? There are few places where the events of CoVid19 has not had an impact and if you are in the USA you can add the joy of a national election. Much of life has been disrupted. The question for all of us, and especially believers, is, "What now?" How do we move forward from where we are to where we need to be. For some it is a time of great distress. It seems the powers of darkness have gained more than a foothold and the future is uncertain in the midst of a growing darkness. Should the USA, indeed, be guided by a new administration things are likely to change. 

For some it is a time of rejoicing with the potential removal of an arrogant and un-presidential tyrant. Then there is the promise of free healthcare, free education, forgiven student loans, a guaranteed income with the government taking care of them. The government only wants what is best for us. We just need to be compliant. 

For others it will be the codification of the "right" to kill babies and to progressively move toward the elimination of those who lack the quality of life that would prove to be a drain on society. They see an expansion of government control that tells us religious practice is "nonessential" and religious conviction is disallowed as "hate speech". The pandemic has been an effective tool to limit worship meetings and penalize people of faith. Numerous governors has become lush with new powers that control the lives of the masses. All in the name of keeping us safe. The proposed plan is to regulate what you drive, where you live, how much energy you can use and how to protect yourself and your family. A false security with the price tag being your freedom and liberty. Either view leaves you wondering what to do from here.

It occurred to me that we, as followers of Messiah Jesus, have been given a plan, a guideline, to follow from the Word of God. That should not be unexpected. However, the truth that most of us have already memorized the directions might come as a surprise. In this, and a followup post or two, I want to give a possible answer that God impressed upon my heart in the quiet of the night while I recovered from some mild food poisoning. Yes, sometimes the LORD has to put me on the recliner looking up to see what He has for me. This is not a vision wrought from indigestion but just some thoughts that rolled over me when the silence outweighed the usual conflagration of my overactive midnight brain. Matthew and Luke give variations of the direction from the Lord. It is a simple answer given by the Lord as a response to a simple "How" question brought by His disciples. We will use Matthew's account but either gives us an answer to give us hope and remind us that. perhaps, nothing has really changed.

Mathew gives us this message in Matthew 6:9-13. I invite you to give voice to these familiar verses with me, "Our Father, Who art in heaven, holy is Your name, Your kingdom come Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (a slightly modified version of the NKJV). These verses can serve both as a reminder and a map to follow as we continue our journey with the God of all creation and His Son, Messiah Jesus, empowered by His Holy Spirit. It helps keep my mind straight and it helps that I learned this through simple repetition as a child never thinking, "Oh, this comes from Matthew 6". Childhood memories to the rescue.

"Our Father, Who art in heaven". Turning our attention to our heavenly Father in times of foggy reality is never a bad place to begin. He is the personal God and Father Who invites us to call Him, Abba. The intimate name from a child to their daddy. He is the Father Who hears and understands. He is the Father that has a heavenly perspective. One Who sees beyond our limited existence and experience. He has worked in the past, through every difficulty we can imagine. He is not unaware of our situation or the thoughts that may bring unrest and discomfort to our thoughts and emotions. He is not bound by politics or elections. He was not absent through four hundred years of slavery or the forty years of wilderness wanderings. He did not forsake David as he cowered in the caves or Daniel as he stood, in faith, among the lions. He was not absent at the cross nor did He abandon the women at the empty tomb. I can trust my Heavenly Father to be with me today. Perhaps, I just need to hear His words to David and "Be still and know He is God" (Psalm 46:10). Like Elijah, I wait for the mighty wind, or earthquake, or roaring fire, and miss the "still small voice" (1 Kings 19). No matter what the day brings I can rest in Him.

"Holy is Your name". The name above all names. The unspoken name among His Hebrew children as they show deference and respect to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is our loving Father. He is also the awesome God of all creation. He is not to be taken lightly or for granted. He name is separated from every other name. Our God shares this nobility with His Son, "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth" (Philippians 2:9-10). Ephesians 1:21 offers a similar truth, That His Son Messiah is "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." No matter how the enemy works to turn God's name or the name of His Son into a meaningless profanity it does not change the reality of the holiness of His name. In time all of mankind will recognize that truth and bow before Him. We should not allow the turmoil of this present age to overshadow the wonder of His name or the power of His presence.

We have a more to consider from this familiar prayer given to us by the Lord Himself. Those will find their way to Torah Paranoia in the weeks to come. However, perhaps this will give you a few things to reflect upon and ponder. Perhaps it is a prayer you can revive as you enter each day and maybe, just maybe this prayer was given to us for such a time as this.   

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.

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.