What does the Lord's Prayer Mean Anyway? And Could We Learn from the Haitian People What God's Will in Heaven Could Be?
Tonight, with the team that is here, we ended the nightly prayer praying The Lord's Prayer.
Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed Be Your Name
Thy Kingdom Come
Thy Will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Give us this Day our Daily Bread
And forgive us our tresspasses
As we forgive those who tresspass against us
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever
Amen
As we were praying I began to really think about those words. Too often memorized things become just that, memorized. Something we say because we are supposed to. Something that we say to feel more spiritual or to be a part of the group. How often do we really think about the words of this prayer?
Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Our Father in Heaven should be hollowed. What does Hollowed mean anyway? The American Heritage Dictionary defines hallowed as "sanctified; consecrated; highly venerated; sacrosanct." Is our Father hallowed? Is he put above all else simply because he deserves it and we respect Him?
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven. Wow this one is big. Do we really want God's full will to be done here as it is in Heaven? Well maybe we want them to, but are we willing to do the work for that to happen? What does that really mean? I think it means something completely different for all of us. I encourage you to pray and figure out what that means to you.
As we prayed this line, I wondered what God's will in Heaven is. We don't know. We envision it to be the best place ever, better than we could even imagine, but is that because there is stuff, or will our attitude change? Being here in Haiti I've seen faces of pure joy. Kids are smiling up to their eyes and content with thier living conditions, few toys, and creative minds. They make things out of everything. Their attitudes are ones we can learn from. In Heaven, everything is perfect. Will it be perfect to our first world selfish mindset or perfect to to God's standards. I'm pretty sure we will all get a new perspective when we go to Heaven. I don't think we will be living in shacks or tents, but I don't think we will be living in mansions with everything we could ever want either. Having things changes people, having little changes people. I feel like there is a perfect medium, living contently. Not having excess, but having access. We need the things we need and occasionally having things we want to reward ourselves is good as well. But having everything we want turns us into selfish brats. I don't know how Heaven will be, but I think we can get a glimpse by being around Haitians. Pure contentment, joy, and a go with the flow attitude. I think we will be thankful for everything we have, singing songs of praise (with good voices, I hope), and full of pure contentment. God has called us to be content in His will. Sometimes this is easier than others, how are you doing?
Give us this day our daily bread. This is earnestly praying for God to provide for our needs. Do you believe He can do this? This is, in my opinion, relating to asking God to provide our needs so we can focus on Him. Too often we get caught up in what we want, what we need, where to go, what to do, how to do it, are we doing this right, what will people think, that God gets pushed away. Is He the first in your life or do you let "life" get in the way? God is life, so our "life" should not get in the way. Are you praying and trusting for God to give you all your needs?
And forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us. Sometimes we do the first, but leave out the latter. We ask for forgiveness for what we do, but are unwilling to forgive someone who has hurt us. Do you need to forgive someone for what they have done, today? Do it. Sometimes we may even be guilty of the other way around. We forgive and forgive and forgive, but do not think we deserve forgiveness. I was guilty of this for the longest time and did not even realize it. Forgiveness is a three part process, we need to forgive others, we need to ask for forgiveness, and we need to forgive ourselves. If we leave any part of that out then the past is still hanging over our heads and we still have that burden hanging out on our shoulders. We can only carry that heavy stuff for so long before we can no longer go on. Life is much easier if we get rid of that stuff as soon as possible. Carrying extra weight through life is too hard. Have you ever watched Biggest Loser where at the end of the season they have to go through a course carrying as much weight as they had lost. This makes them realize they never want it back, how hard they worked, and why things were so difficult before. Its hard for them to carry this extra weight around, why would we want to carry it if we don't have to?
But deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. God can deliver us from all our wrong doings. He defeated satan when he rose from the dead and he can defeat Satan in your life if you let him. God is more powerful than anything if you let him. He knows all and can do all, but we too often get in the way. Let God deliver us from evil. Let Him take control of your life and be in the driver's seat.
Amen. So Be it! Ending in Agreeance.
I hope this post encourages you to take a look at the Lord's Prayer in your own viewpoint. Maybe it means something to you that is different than what God has revealed to me. I hope this post encourages you and maybe even steps on your toes a little. I'm so glad God put these thoughts in my head. Next time you do something that seems mundane and ritual, take time to search deeper and get a new meaning or a new perspective. Let God work through you, in you, and for you, even through the overly mundane and repetitive tasks, sayings, or prayers.
Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed Be Your Name
Thy Kingdom Come
Thy Will be done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Give us this Day our Daily Bread
And forgive us our tresspasses
As we forgive those who tresspass against us
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever
Amen
As we were praying I began to really think about those words. Too often memorized things become just that, memorized. Something we say because we are supposed to. Something that we say to feel more spiritual or to be a part of the group. How often do we really think about the words of this prayer?
Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Our Father in Heaven should be hollowed. What does Hollowed mean anyway? The American Heritage Dictionary defines hallowed as "sanctified; consecrated; highly venerated; sacrosanct." Is our Father hallowed? Is he put above all else simply because he deserves it and we respect Him?
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On Earth as it is in Heaven. Wow this one is big. Do we really want God's full will to be done here as it is in Heaven? Well maybe we want them to, but are we willing to do the work for that to happen? What does that really mean? I think it means something completely different for all of us. I encourage you to pray and figure out what that means to you.
As we prayed this line, I wondered what God's will in Heaven is. We don't know. We envision it to be the best place ever, better than we could even imagine, but is that because there is stuff, or will our attitude change? Being here in Haiti I've seen faces of pure joy. Kids are smiling up to their eyes and content with thier living conditions, few toys, and creative minds. They make things out of everything. Their attitudes are ones we can learn from. In Heaven, everything is perfect. Will it be perfect to our first world selfish mindset or perfect to to God's standards. I'm pretty sure we will all get a new perspective when we go to Heaven. I don't think we will be living in shacks or tents, but I don't think we will be living in mansions with everything we could ever want either. Having things changes people, having little changes people. I feel like there is a perfect medium, living contently. Not having excess, but having access. We need the things we need and occasionally having things we want to reward ourselves is good as well. But having everything we want turns us into selfish brats. I don't know how Heaven will be, but I think we can get a glimpse by being around Haitians. Pure contentment, joy, and a go with the flow attitude. I think we will be thankful for everything we have, singing songs of praise (with good voices, I hope), and full of pure contentment. God has called us to be content in His will. Sometimes this is easier than others, how are you doing?
Give us this day our daily bread. This is earnestly praying for God to provide for our needs. Do you believe He can do this? This is, in my opinion, relating to asking God to provide our needs so we can focus on Him. Too often we get caught up in what we want, what we need, where to go, what to do, how to do it, are we doing this right, what will people think, that God gets pushed away. Is He the first in your life or do you let "life" get in the way? God is life, so our "life" should not get in the way. Are you praying and trusting for God to give you all your needs?
And forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us. Sometimes we do the first, but leave out the latter. We ask for forgiveness for what we do, but are unwilling to forgive someone who has hurt us. Do you need to forgive someone for what they have done, today? Do it. Sometimes we may even be guilty of the other way around. We forgive and forgive and forgive, but do not think we deserve forgiveness. I was guilty of this for the longest time and did not even realize it. Forgiveness is a three part process, we need to forgive others, we need to ask for forgiveness, and we need to forgive ourselves. If we leave any part of that out then the past is still hanging over our heads and we still have that burden hanging out on our shoulders. We can only carry that heavy stuff for so long before we can no longer go on. Life is much easier if we get rid of that stuff as soon as possible. Carrying extra weight through life is too hard. Have you ever watched Biggest Loser where at the end of the season they have to go through a course carrying as much weight as they had lost. This makes them realize they never want it back, how hard they worked, and why things were so difficult before. Its hard for them to carry this extra weight around, why would we want to carry it if we don't have to?
But deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. God can deliver us from all our wrong doings. He defeated satan when he rose from the dead and he can defeat Satan in your life if you let him. God is more powerful than anything if you let him. He knows all and can do all, but we too often get in the way. Let God deliver us from evil. Let Him take control of your life and be in the driver's seat.
Amen. So Be it! Ending in Agreeance.
I hope this post encourages you to take a look at the Lord's Prayer in your own viewpoint. Maybe it means something to you that is different than what God has revealed to me. I hope this post encourages you and maybe even steps on your toes a little. I'm so glad God put these thoughts in my head. Next time you do something that seems mundane and ritual, take time to search deeper and get a new meaning or a new perspective. Let God work through you, in you, and for you, even through the overly mundane and repetitive tasks, sayings, or prayers.
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