The Lord's Prayer; Teach It To Your Children

III. The Lord's Prayer
As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household.

 http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php

 

As we delve into the Lord's Prayer, we are once again reminded that it is the head of the family's responsibility to teach the Lord's Prayer to their family.

I was once asked why Lutherans pray this prayer every time we gathered together to worship. The person asking was a indeed a devout Christian (of no denomination). She felt that because we use this prayer rather than speak out of our own hearts and minds, we are not sincere. My answer to that is; of course we pray, at times, with prayers that are not distinctly the Lord's Prayer. But, I teach the Lord's Prayer and pray it often because it is the way Jesus taught us to pray. When Jesus gave it to us, he said this:

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray:

 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matt 6:5-13 NIV)

 

This is a simple prayer to learn. It takes very little time or energy to teach our children to pray it. May God set it in our hearts to teach it to our whole households.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 19:38-42 Secret Friend and Follower

John 19:38-42 NIV
Nicodemus, a secret friend of Jesus, and Joseph of Arimathea, who had kept the fact that he was a follower of Jesus a secret for fear of the Jews, buried Jesus.

As I consider these verses from John today, I am reminded of the decades that Russians had to worship in secret, sometimes in graveyards, lest they be arrested and suffer the consequences for their faith. It reminds me that even today, multitudes must try to hide their faith in order to save their lives so that they might continue to share the Good News even if it must be done clandestinely.

May God help us, who are free to proclaim our allegiance to Jesus, to proclaim it freely.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 18:19-24 Speaking the Truth

John 18:19-24 NIV
Every now and then when I question my grandchildren (as well as other children in the community) as to what has been going on, I get the run-around. They won't answer me directly. They will say things like "I don't know. Ask so and so. They should know." Or they will say something like: "You already know, anyway." Honestly, it makes me want to slap them. I don't and haven't. But, there are definitely times that I consider it, as these kinds of responses just make me think all the more that they've been up to something they ought not have been doing and then I have to take the time to go and find witnesses or corroborating evidence to be able to confront them more directly and to the point. It's really a lot of work when telling the truth would have worked a lot faster and easier.

Jesus was slapped by one of the officials for talking to the high priest like my grandchildren talk to me when they are trying to hide something. But, Jesus' purpose was not an attempt to hide anything. Since, he is on trial for breaking the religious laws of the day (mainly his claim to be the Son of God); he calls upon the high priest to follow the law and get witness testimony as the law requires.

Jesus reminded them that he had spoken and taught openly. He testified that he had not been doing anything in secret. If his life was on trial then witnesses were required.

My grandchildren are not on trial for their lives. As of yet, they are still in the living stage; that stage where Jesus spoke the truth openly and not in secret. It would be well for all of us if we said or did nothing that has to be hid so that witnesses don't have to be found.

Have a blessed day and may God help us all to speak the truth.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 12:1-12 What You Have Said In The Dark

Luke 12:1-12 NIV
I'm figuring that everyone has secrets. Some are good. Some are bad. Some are just pure gossip that really are not secrets at all. They're not secrets because they are spread from household to household, behind closed doors, presumably in the dark, so no one else will know. But, everyone knows the lies that have been told; the damage one attempted to cause while living in the darkness.

Here's the kicker: the secret does not remain secret. It will eventually be revealed by the light. Sooner or later the door opens and the sun comes out. The truth is known. One day, all will know the secret. But, for now, it is enough to know that God knows.

Speak with integrity. Speak with truth. Live in the light of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J