Last week I started looking at the "Lord's Prayer" from the point of view of a child. I'm still camping out there and I'm seeing things I have never understood before. It's so easy to just repeat it with everybody else at church without paying attention. But that's the good thing about camping. It gets you out of your usual environment and helps you to "be still and know."
Your Kingdom come, your will be done (Matthew 6:10). What does the Kingdom of God coming to earth have to do with children? It turns out – everything! Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14). This kingdom is the Kingdom of a Father, and a Kingdom of His little children who believe and obey His word, children who do His will and resemble their Father. You know how little children watch every move and mimic everything they see their parents doing? Of such as these consist the Kingdom. Father, let your Kingdom of little children come!
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV)
Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Jeremy Linneman has written about this part of the prayer.
"There's no way to honestly live the Lord's Prayer without seeing that we're hungry, needy children at the feet of a good and loving Father. Yet the Lord's Prayer only makes sense within the context of childlike faith and dependence. We acknowledge it's God's kingdom we live in, not ours. We ask humbly for daily provision, knowing we can't ensure our own survival and flourishing apart from him." 1
The Father wants me to acknowledge my total dependence on Him. Even more, He wants me to realize the implications of this, consciously, from the beginning of the day and all the day through. This would really change my days if I did this. It would take away all my trust in my own abilities and successes (and any performance burden). It might also pry my clutching, possessive hands off what has been freely given. All that I have comes from the hand of the loving Father. He wants me to mimic His overflowing generosity. He wants me to have confidence in Him, to know that He is worthy of my trust in His love. No matter what happens.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)
Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8
I will still be sitting by the campfire next Thursday if you want to join me.
1Blogged by Dr. Peter Cockrell https://pjcockrell.wordpress.com/2022/08/07/the-lords-prayer-is-meant-to-be-lived/
Image, mmm, num, num by Naomi https://flic.kr/p/4cdp1q
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