.OUR FATHER” A Catholic and a Protestant were arguing about who had the better version of the Lord’s Prayer. Yours “is not complete because it omits the words: for thine is the power, the honour and the glory”. No, yours “is not biblical because it does not contain the exact words of Christ”. They were almost tearing each other apart when a passerby reminded them that they are both missing the point. Christ did not teach us how to fight. He taught us how to pray (Luke 11:1-4). Those words of Christ are not meant merely as a prayer format, rather they are meant as a code of conduct, a way of life that cannot be detached from the person of a Christian created in the image and likeness of God. The lesson Christ meant to teach is that in our entire life, we Christians should be humble, acknowledging the sovereignty of God as OUR FATHER. We should reverence his name by the way we speak, think and act. We should NOT be afraid of God or feel strange in his presence, rather we should trust him and learn to accept his will at all times. God is our Creator, our provider who daily keeps us away from danger and gives our (earthly and spiritual) daily bread. Therefore, we should trust his benevolence and work hard to justify it. Above all, because he has forgiven us, we too should forgive those who offend us. A Christian who cannot forgive is a contradiction in terms. Isn’t this the summary of Christianity? What good is it for anyone to have the complete version of the Lord’s prayers, when his or her mentality is quite opposite of what Jesus meant? Prayer is not merely a form of words; it is a mentality, a behavior, a way of life. That’s why Abraham remains the greatest example of a prayerful person (Gen 18: 20-32). He was a friend of God who was not afraid to approach him and converse with him. That is prayer. He was not self-seeking whenever he approached God. He used the opportunity of God’s presence to intercede for others and he was never tired of asking even when his request didn’t seem to be granted. Good Morning
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 08:34:56 +0000
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