Lenten Bible Reading: Week 3, Thursday

During the season of Lent, I am attempting to follow a Bible reading plan and offer reflection on the Scripture text.  Today's reading is from Thursday in the 3rd week of Lent.  I welcome feedback.  What are these Scriptures saying to you?

 

Colossians 3:1-17 New International Version (NIV)

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

 ¹ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  ⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ¹¹ Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
 ¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
 ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

__________________________

Paul likes to use a lot of contrasts and comparisons: things above vs. things of earth; death and life; earthly nature vs. divine nature.  Yet at the same time, he eliminates contrasts and comparisons:  Gentile vs. Jew; circumcised vs. uncircumcised; slave or free.

I find this to be quite interesting and somewhat startling!  Those comparisons that Paul eliminates are all the things that humans use to set themselves apart from each other.  Things like skin color, economic status, country of origin, language.  And what Paul emphasizes are the things that God uses to differentiate those who are followers of Jesus, and those who are not.  So in other words, how we define ourselves is MUCH less important than how God defines us!

People today are all about making distinctions on the wrong things and refusing to make distinctions on the things that truly matter.  Many want to squash the differences between religions - claiming that Christianity is one among equals in world religions.  Or that all religions are simply different paths to the same destination.  I don't believe that to be true.  And I think Paul argues against that being true.  He lived in a culture of syncretic religious philosophies.  People living back then made sacrifices to multiple gods, carried charms to ward of evil spirits from multiple religious perspectives.  That's why we've had this saying for a long time:  "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Paul, however, consistently pointed towards the "unknown god" who actually was made known through Jesus Christ.  And because Jesus has made God known, we find commonality in Him.  That commonality is how we live in response to Jesus.  Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience - those are what we should share across every language, skin color, country of origin, or economic class.

But we aren't doing a very good job living that way most of the time.  We tend to like those who are most like us and distrust those who don't seem to be much like us.  Blacks don't like whites; whites discriminate against blacks.  Anyone who looks Hispanic in America is assumed to be in this country illegally.  And statistics show that Sunday mornings are the most segregated times of the week.

So I'm going to start being more intentional about seeking out those who aren't like me.  I want to start using God's standards of differentiation instead of the world's standard.  I'm going to work on intentional forgiveness, forbearance, and patience.  Will you join me?

Lenten Bible Reading: Week 3, Wednesday

During the season of Lent, I am attempting to follow a Bible reading plan and offer reflection on the Scripture text.  Today's reading is from Wednesday in the third week of Lent.  I welcome feedback.  What are these Scriptures saying to you?

Philippians 4:1-9 Common English Bible

Therefore, my brothers and sisters whom I love and miss, who are my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord.
   Loved ones, I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to come to an agreement in the Lord.  Yes, and I’m also asking you, loyal friend, to help these women who have struggled together with me in the ministry of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the scroll of life.
   Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad!  Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near.  Don’t be anxious about anything; rather bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.  Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.
  From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise.  Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you.
 ____________________________________

After the day I had, that's a tough scripture to read!  I got into a disagreement with someone and then I read about Paul urging two women to come to an agreement in the Lord!  But I don't believe in coincidences, so I know God had this in store for me because I really needed it!

Sometimes disagreements are "natural."  There's a genuine difference in perspectives that precludes agreement.  Put a Democrat and a Republican together in the same room, and tell them to talk politics.  There's gonna be disagreement!!

But other times, the disagreements are "unnatural" because they're based on misunderstandings, failures of communication, or simple stubbornness and determination not to "give" to the other.

In either case, I think Paul is telling us here that we need to get over the differences - no matter what they are - and get to what's held in common.  And I'll be honest, that's not very easy!  The disagreement that I had is pretty hard to find commonality.  I'm frustrated, angry, and disappointed.  And I can't even really do or say anything about it directly.  That fact frustrates me even more!

So what does Paul say to do with these feelings and experiences?  Give them over to God.  "Be glad in the Lord always. Again, I say, be glad."  The New International Version says "Rejoice in the Lord, always.  Again, I say, rejoice."  Being glad, rejoicing??  When I'm so steamed that I could cook broccoli?  Yes.

I can't do that!!  I can't just "be happy" like switching on the light.  So ... I have to rely on the God of peace to take my anger and use it productively.  For example, in preparing this devotional.  I have to recognize my emotion, but also not let the emotion overwhelm me.  God can use me in this situation.  And God can still use the other person, too.

By giving it to God, I can let go of the emotion and return to the center of living in Christ.  And the situation then becomes one that I can reason with.  Paul even gives me hints on what questions to ask:  is it true? holy? just? admirable?  Then think on these things.  If it isn't true, holy, just or admirable, then let it go and find what is.

Bring it to God - all the hurt, anger, and frustration.  God can handle it.  In that way, I can still be gentle in how I respond.  And so, I'm going to respond to this disagreement with gentleness and rejoicing.  I'm going to take a step in faith that God will work this situation out in some form or fashion that I can rejoice, even when right now I don't feel like I can.  That's the amazing thing about God: where we fail, God prevails.

Lenton Bible Reading: Week 3, Tuesday

During the season of Lent, I am attempting to follow a Bible reading plan and offer reflection on the Scripture text.  Unfortunately, I'm not doing so well at making this a daily practice!  Today's reading is from Tuesday in the 3rd week of Lent.  I welcome feedback.  What are these Scriptures saying to you?

 

Ephesians 5:6-20 New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ⁷ Therefore do not be partners with them.  ⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said:
   “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

 ¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

____________________________

Notice how many words are being thrown around these days?  Look at how many millions of postings are on Facebook every minute.  How many tweets are broadcast per second.  How many Google searches are done in a millisecond.  And this is only a fraction of online stuff - without even mentioning the stuff that still goes on offline!  (Yes, there is still a real world out there!!)

 

How many of those countless millions or billions of words from all sources that potentially bombard us every moment we're awake are empty?  Deceptive?  I don't think the Apostle Paul had any clue just how relevant his 1st century words would be for us 21st century readers.  But they are!  We live in a world that attempts to obfuscate the truth.  To twist the meaning of words so that what was once thought to be good is now bad, and vice versa.  

 

How many concepts from Scripture are now being challenged as incompatible with modern life?  Live for others?  No way!  Live for yourself!  Get all the pleasure you can - and it doesn't matter what consequences may come upon others for your choices.  Or, in another twist of the truth: Stop taking pleasures in life, don't do anything fun.  You should be miserable because so many other people are miserable.

 

But Paul is saying to be careful how you live - wisely rather than foolishly.  Both extremes above are foolish.  Neither make the most of every opportunity.  What is the opportunity?  To demonstrate to others that what we do as Christians is different because Jesus is making a difference in us!

 

Which begs the question: Can people see a difference in your life because of Jesus?  Does your life reflect the Light of Christ?  Or are you still sleeping - spiritually dead - even though you've claimed the name "Christian" for yourself?

 

Don't be surprised when who you are is exposed.  Eventually, everything we do will come into the light.  Therefore, do the things that won't be shameful when the exposure comes.  One of my favorite quotes (unfortunately, I don't know who originally said it) is this:

 

"Live each day so that you will neither be afraid of tomorrow nor ashamed of yesterday."

We can do that when we do that in the strength of Jesus, relying on Him, and giving thanks to God in all circumstances.  So today, let's do it!

Lenton Bible Reading: Week 1, Wednesday

During the season of Lent, I am attempting to follow a Bible reading plan and offer reflection on the Scripture text.  Today's reading is from Tuesday in the first full week of Lent.  (And while this is the first posting of the series, the actual start of Lent was last Wednesday.  I am going to try to work my way back to the start of the reading plan as well as move forward towards Resurrection Sunday.)  I welcome feedback.  What are these Scriptures saying to you?

 

Luke 15:11-32

Common English Bible (CEB)

 ¹¹ Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. ¹² The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the inheritance.’ Then the father divided his estate between them. ¹³ Soon afterward, the younger son gathered everything together and took a trip to a land far away. There, he wasted his wealth through extravagant living.
 ¹⁴ “When he had used up his resources, a severe food shortage arose in that country and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ He hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to eat his fill from what the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, but I’m starving to death! ¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I no longer deserve to be called your son. Take me on as one of your hired hands.” ’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

   “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. His father ran to him, hugged him, and kissed him. ²¹ Then his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him! Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! ²³ Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it. We must celebrate with feasting ²⁴ because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
 ²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field. Coming in from the field, he approached the house and heard music and dancing. ²⁶ He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ²⁷ The servant replied, ‘Your brother has arrived, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he received his son back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ Then the older son was furious and didn’t want to enter in, but his father came out and begged him. ²⁹ He answered his father, ‘Look, I’ve served you all these years, and I never disobeyed your instruction. Yet you’ve never given me as much as a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours returned, after gobbling up your estate on prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹ Then his father said, ‘Son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found.’”

____________________________

OK, yesterday's story was not one of my favorites.  But today's story is definitely in my top 5 all-time best stories of Jesus!

I can remember listening to a preacher speak on this text when I was an older elementary-age student, probably like 10 or 11 years old.  I really identified with the younger son's desire to get away.  I grew up with great parents, but part of what made them great was how much they cared to set appropriate boundaries for me.  At that time, there was something about those boundaries that chafed me. (What, exactly, it was I can no longer remember).  In the first part of the story, as the son says, "Dad, I'm outta here!", I wanted to be able to say the same thing!  The preacher really talked up that part of the story - how the son had big ideas, thought life was something he could handle on his own, and the fun of independent living.  No more rules, restrictions, or responsibilities.  As a 10 year old, I firmly agreed.

But then the preacher moved on, and suddenly the son's experience didn't sound so good.  Pig slop?!  He's eating (or at least WANTS to eat) pig slop?  My own stomach began to churn unpleasantly.  Now the preacher described the fallout from bad choices.  Responsibility is not something to avoid but something to cherish.  Living in a family means allowing the needs of the family to restrict one's desires.  The benefits far outweigh the costs.  Started making me rethink how I viewed taking out the trash and washing dishes, doing homework, etc.

The preacher went on to talk about how the son had blown it so bad, he didn't think he could recover.  But even so, he saw that life at home - no matter how it looked - had to be better than what he had happening away from home.  And so he came back to Dad, but expected the lowliest possible position. I began to be glad that I hadn't actually tried to run away.  My life was going to be better than the younger son's life, because my dad wouldn't have to make me a servant.

When the dad saw the younger son and welcomed him, honored him, and threw a party for him, I was surprised.  Kind of like the older brother.  I could relate to his outrage.  That's not fair!  Look at what this kid did!  And now you're celebrating him rather than berating him? (actually not sure I knew "berating" as a 10-year-old, but work with me...)

I transferred my sympathies from the younger brother to the older brother.  And, I reasoned, I AM the older brother in my family, and I think I'd be just as upset if my little brother did this kind of stuff and Dad welcomed him back like that...

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Flash forward to today, and in many cases my own personal/family story parallels Jesus' story about these two brothers and their father more closely than I might like.  I ended up in pastoral ministry, my brother at one point was halfway around the world in the Navy.  I've stayed pretty close to the upbringing in Christ I received from my parents, while my brother has traveled a more circuitous faith journey and made some decisions with major life-altering consequences.  Not sure whether or not he was ever reduced to "pig slop", but I can imagine at times he came pretty close.  But Dad still loves us both.

Holy God, thank you for loving me and my brother so much that you welcome both of us into your loving arms. Thank you for giving me an earthly father who has tried to reflect his Heavenly Father in how he has treated me.  May the legacy of being a father to my own children be blessed by you and transferred to yet another generation as my kids grow up and become independent adults themselves.  I pray this in Jesus' name.  Amen.


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Lenten Bible Reading: Week 1, Tuesday

During the season of Lent, I am attempting to follow a Bible reading plan and offer reflection on the Scripture text.  Today's reading is from Tuesday in the first full week of Lent.  (And while this is the first posting of the series, the actual start of Lent was last Wednesday.  I am going to try to work my way back to the start of the reading plan as well as move forward towards Resurrection Sunday.)  I welcome feedback.  What are these Scriptures saying to you?

Matthew 18:21-35

Common English Bible (CEB)

Parable of the unforgiving servant

 ²¹ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?”  ²² Jesus said, “Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy-seven times.  

²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ When he began to settle accounts, they brought to him a servant who owed him ten thousand bags of gold.   ²⁵ Because the servant didn’t have enough to pay it back, the master ordered that he should be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he had, and that the proceeds should be used as payment. ²⁶ But the servant fell down, kneeled before him, and said, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ ²⁷ The master had compassion on that servant, released him, and forgave the loan.
 

 ²⁸ “When that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred coins. He grabbed him around the throat and said, ‘Pay me back what you owe me.’
 ²⁹ “Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ ³⁰ But he refused. Instead, he threw him into prison until he paid back his debt.
 ³¹ “When his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply offended. They came and told their master all that happened. ³² His master called the first servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me. ³³ Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt.
 ³⁵ “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you if you don’t forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

____________________________

I have to confess something: this is NOT one of my favorite stories told by Jesus.  First off, the servant is an idiot!  He has squandered his master's resources - not just a little bit, but a lot!  The Common English Bible translates the amount owed as ten thousand bags of gold.  That's a pretty nebulous figure.  How big are the bags?  How much weight is in each bag?  Some commentaries that I've read on this passage talk about the amount owed being the equivalent of the entire gross domestic product of a country like Ecuador or Guatemala.  Granted, those are rather small nations, but this is ONE DUDE wasting the economic output of a whole country!  So ... this servant is an idiot for squandering those resources!

 

But this servant is an idiot for an entirely different reason: he begs for mercy from the master, gets that mercy, then goes out and grabs a fellow servant who owes him something along the lines of $4000.  I don't know about you, but for me, $4 grand is a significant sum.  So its understandable that he wants it back.  But the way that he goes about getting it - what cold, calculating, heartless, and calloused behavior by a person who's just been forgiven an unimaginable debt!  So ... this servant is an idiot for demanding repayment!

 

And this servant is an idiot for another reason: he made his demands on his fellow servant out in front of everybody else!  Perhaps he thought the public humiliation would increase the chances of the other guy coughing up the dough.  But the second guy doesn't have the ability to repay.  He begs for mercy - out in front of everyone - and reveals how desperate he is for another chance.  All this done in the midst of the public square.  If the first servant thought he was getting public opinion on his side, then his plan backfired - in a big way!  To think that bullying would garner respect, and perhaps power based on fear, makes this guy a triple idiot! 

 

He's a total loser!  Out of control!  He deserves all the punishment the master hands down on him at the end.  Good riddance!  Whew ... now I can relax...

 

 ...................

                     ..............................

                                                      ..................     ...........  .........  ........   ...

 

Wait a minute...   Who is this first servant?  What does he represent in Jesus' story?  Hmmm ... he might just represent me!  Ouch!!  Yes, I've been a triple idiot.  I've taken the great gift of mercy given to me by my Heavenly Father and turned around and blasted someone else who asked for mercy from me. 

Holy God, Jesus nailed me in this story.  Maybe, if I'm totally honest... that's why this story makes me so uncomfortable.  I owe a debt I cannot pay; Jesus paid a debt he did not owe.  And somehow in the busyness of life - even as a pastor (!) - I can forget that.  Thank you for the reminder today that there's an expectation of response from me in accepting your grace.  Continue challenging me, and pushing me into greater expressions of mercy, so that I continue to be humble, willing to be changed, and ultimately transformed into the likeness of Jesus himself.  I pray this in his name.  Amen.


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A BIble Reading and Reflection Plan for Lent

During this season of Lent, I'm embarking on a journey to read and reflect daily on Scripture and post those reflections to this blog. The reading plan comes courtesy of www.firmfoundation.org.  My prayer is that this exercise will not just be something that I do to be busy, or to show off, or any other self-centered expression, but rather that throughout this time, God will do something in me, with me and through me that transforms my head, heart and hands towards holiness.  I welcome you to join me and share your own thoughts and responses to these texts.

Prelude Week
Lord God, by Your Word, Fill Me with Your Life-Giving Spirit
Ash Wednesday: Luke 4:1-13
Thursday: Romans 8:1-17
Friday: Galatians 5:16-26
Saturday: Ephesians 4:17-24


Week 1
Lord God, by Your Word, Fill Me with a Spirit of Repentance and Forgiveness
Sunday: Psalm 51
Monday: Matthew 6:5-15
Tuesday: Matthew 18:21-35
Wednesday: Luke 15:11-32
Thursday: Ephesians 4:25—5:2
Friday: 1 John 1:5-10
Saturday: Psalm 130

Week 2
Lord God, by Your Word, Fill Me with a Spirit of Hope and Trust
Sunday: Genesis 12:1-9
Monday: Genesis 22:1-19
Tuesday: Isaiah 51:1-16
Wednesday: Luke 12:22-34
Thursday: Romans 4:13-25
Friday: Hebrews 6:13-20
Saturday: Psalm 62

Week 3
Lord God, by Your Word, Fill Me with a Spirit of Gratitude and Thanksgiving
Sunday: Luke 17:11-19
Monday: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Tuesday: Ephesians 5:6-20
Wednesday: Philippians 4:1-9
Thursday: Colossians 3:1-17
Friday: 1 Chronicles 16:7-36
Saturday: Psalm 103

Week 4
Lord God, by Your Word, Fill Me with a Spirit of Love and Servanthood
Sunday: Matthew 23:1-12
Monday: Mark 10:35-45
Tuesday: John 15:1-17
Wednesday: Romans 12:9-21
Thursday: Romans 13:8-14
Friday: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Saturday: 1 John 4:7-21

Week 5
Lord God, by Your Word, Fill Me with a Spirit of Discipleship and Commitment
Sunday: Luke 5:1-11
Monday: Luke 9:22-27
Tuesday: Matthew 10:16-33
Wednesday: Matthew 10:34-42
Thursday: John 15:18-27
Friday: 2 Timothy 2:1-13
Saturday: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Week 6
Lord God, by Your Word, Fill Me with a Spirit of Obedience and Humility
Sunday: John 13:1-20
Monday: Philippians 2:1-11
Tuesday: Psalm 22
Wednesday: Isaiah 52:13—53:12
Thursday: Luke 22:39-71
Friday: Luke 23:1-56
Saturday: Hebrews 4:14—5:10

Lenten Bible Reading: Week 1, Monday

During the season of Lent, I am attempting to follow a Bible reading plan and offer reflection on the Scripture text.  Today's reading is from Monday in the first full week of Lent.  (And while this is the first posting of the series, the actual start of Lent was last Wednesday.  I am going to try to work my way back to the start of the reading plan as well as move forward towards Resurrection Sunday.)  I welcome feedback.  What are these Scriptures saying to you?

 

Matthew 6:5-15

Common English Bible (CEB)

Showy prayer

 ⁵ “When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people will see them. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. ⁶ But when you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

Proper prayer

 ⁷ “When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think that by saying many words they’ll be heard. ⁸ Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask. ⁹ Pray like this:

     Our Father who is in heaven,
uphold the holiness of your name.
¹⁰ Bring in your kingdom
so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven.
¹¹ Give us the bread we need for today.
¹² Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you,
just as we also forgive those who have wronged us.
¹³ And don’t lead us into temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
 ¹⁴ “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you don’t forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

____________________________

Prayer is a major part of the Lenten experience, and this is a nice reminder of how to (and how not to) pray.  I think we can make two equal but opposite blunders when it comes to prayer.  We either err on the side of making it "too big" or of making it "too little."  In this teaching, Jesus is showing us how to avoid both mistakes.

The "too big" approach is what the hypocrites do.  They get into the big words, the flowing gestures, the proper vocal inflections, etc.  I've seen some folk pray like this.  They get into lots of "thee's" and "thou's" and "wherewith" and polysyllabic words.  Sometimes these prayers are downright impressive as I listen to them, but yet they remain semantically null.  Or to put it into plain English: they don't say a lot!


The other "too big" approach that Jesus warns against is the repetition prayer.  This is when a person says something again and again and again and again and ...       An often unconscious expression of this type of prayer is when we say "Lord, we just ..."  As in "Lord, we just ask you to be with us right now.  We just want to know you're present in a mighty and powerful way.  Lord, we just need you, and we just want you to know that we need you..."


A four-year-old once asked who Lord Wejuss was because he heard people saying that name so much in their prayers!


But there's also a "too little" approach to prayer.  This happens when we don't take prayers seriously.  We make prayer a "by the way" or perfunctory sentence or two before digging into the mashed potatoes.  


Jesus' model prayer offers the balanced prayer - the one that's "just right!".  It both acknowledges the greatness of God and the intimacy of God.  It is grounded in simplicity, and yet contains some incredibly profound concepts.  It moves us from the grandeur of heaven to the mundane-ness of ordinary daily life.

It's no wonder we so often take this "Lord's Prayer" and make it the centerpiece of the prayer experience in worship.  But unfortunately, this very familiarity of the prayer can make it become more rote ritual than real prayer.  Our challenge, then, is to keep praying this prayer and mean what it says each time we pray it.  Reflect on it.  Remember it.  Apply it.


I think its the application of the prayer that Jesus had in mind when he transitioned from prayer to forgiveness.  Yes, pray that God forgive you for your wrongdoing, but be sure that you're applying that forgiveness principle yourself!  We so easily get caught up in rationalizing away the need to forgive someone.  "They didn't ask for it"  "They don't deserve it"  "They hurt me too much"  "I forgave them before and they didn't change"


But Jesus doesn't leave us wiggle room on this.  If you want your Heavenly Father to forgive you, then you (and I) MUST forgive others!  This is a reverse-conditional phrase.  What that means is that God's forgiveness isn't conditioned by our forgiveness, but rather that our forgiveness derives from God's forgiveness.  God's forgiving is the primary action, and our forgiving is the secondary response.  And if we want to experience God's forgiveness, then we must respond to that forgiveness by forgiving others.

Holy God, as I pray, may my prayers honor your name - who you are and what you stand for.  And may your holiness descend upon me so that I can become a better witness for you.  Show me the ones whom I need to forgive, and show me the ones from whom I need to ask for forgiveness.  And may this be done daily, so that I continue to be humble, willing to be changed, and ultimately transformed into the likeness of Jesus himself.  I pray this in his name.  Amen.


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