On Sunday January 12, I preached on the Lord’s Prayer at the International Christian Fellowship in Udon Thani, Thailand. Here follows a small piece of that message and a few pictures. Following these thoughts are my notes on a new educational endeavor taken from a discussion with the Pastor Ben McClure, the director of the ICF and founder of their new Bible College.

Sunday Preach

7 “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread; 12 And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; 13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6

Prayer forms us before God and others in a particular way. We are changed from the outside in as well as the inside out by prayer. Form changes spirit just as spirit changes form.

In Matthew 6: 7-14 Jesus is transforming prayer. In his hands prayer is undergoing a decided change. Of course Jesus didn’t invent prayer nor did his earthly progeny David the struggling suffering shepherd Psalmist in his perilous route to the throne. Both did a lot of praying and left their mark on prayer but prayer had been around from times eternal. Almost certainly prayer emerged in history arising from those experiences, times and intersections in the human journey when humans found themselves between a rock and a hard place beyond the measure of their puny resources. In these intractable circumstances humans have always turned to higher powers however they have conceived them. When the Jews emerged into existence under Yahweh prayer went through the monotheistic purification and thanks to David, became filled with great praise as well as great passion looking to and trusting in God for help in these times of need. Despite all that David did to prayer teaching us to mix praise and confidence into our prayers in the face of trouble Jesus does something even greater

Pray “Our Father”

God and father may seem as symmetrical and logical as a lame man and a cane, as a fireman and a red ladder truck, a glove and a hand but this linkage exists only because of Jesus. It is true faint roots of this father identity of God can be traced back to the Old Testament but in Jesus’ hands it is magnified, expanded and informed. Coming to God as father transforms the one praying. Inside this basic furnishing of Jesus prayer we discover ourselves before God as son and daughter. Inside of this identity we belong, we are included in God in a particular way and just so if we are true to this form we commence to embody the proprieties that come with being a son and daughter. These include confidence, a God given dignity and freedom and imbibing the fresh brisk air that we belong. We do not earn our merit our placement with God it is our God given dignity. In giving Himself to us as father he gives us free rightful access to him. We are included in God and the circle of God. We stand and kneel praying and living inside the circle of belonging because God has shown up in and through Jesus as our Father.

Like oil in one’s bones in times of trouble using all manner of spiritual, moral and religious devices humans attempt to get into the inside circle with God where his helps can be readily accessed? Prayer that is full of fret and fever, beset by anxiety of an orphan and driven beyond oneself to promise making (most often which are ropes of sand), prayer that seeks out the holy, person, place or thing through which to mediate one’s petition, prayer which enters into intense spiritual machinations and bodily sufferings and restrictions to bend the “reluctant” hand of the Almighty all betray that the ones praying are wearing the primitive pre-Christian prayer suit. In these two words “our father” Jesus is clothing us and our praying with confidence, freedom and the dignity of a son and daughter beloved and included in the Father’s care.

Do your and my prayers betray spiritual machinations to get inside the circle with the Almighty in order to gain some leverage with Him or do they reflect the freedom and confidence of one who is by the grace of God already inside that circle? Or maybe neither, maybe we stand outside looking in wishing we had a way to the Almighty’s care. Here follows my definitive word ‘You can’t get there from here’. We start from inside because that is where we find ourselves saint, sinners, the good, bad and ugly!

If the shoe fits wear it and if this prayer shapes and forms your humanity before God in a way that is right and good then go with it. It is Jesus’ gift to you. Not because of our own righteousness nor by natural birthright, but by grace in and through the Christ – messiah, God made his way to us as Father. “Father” is costly grace, an adoption maneuver and just so when we, wandering nomads and orphans, utter this appellation it is our doxology and praise and the frame and prelude to all our petitions. Instantly we are no more alone – God is our father and we, looking out through this prism of truth, begin to see many brothers and sisters all around us.

“Our father” is the big deal in this prayer…