A Not-So-Novel-Idea

On a recent drive to work, as I was trying to calm some anxious thoughts, I was reminded of the Lord's Prayer. As I prayed those first words,“Our Father,” I was once again struck with the weight of what those words mean. I honed in on that simple word “Our” and was reminded of my community of brothers and sisters—not only my wonderful local Church and friends—but brothers and sisters around the world, some even suffering for their faithfulness to the truths I at times take so lightly. I was reminded that I am a part of something that is so much bigger than my one small and brief (though still precious in God’s eyes) life. I was reminded that Our Father has a plan for the world that He has graciously allowed me to be a part of, a plan that connects and unites all different kinds of people who otherwise would have little to nothing in common. And some of those people were praying that prayer at the same time as me.

Those are some wonderful things to be reminded of on a simple drive to work! All because of two words in an ancient prayer. 

 One thing that’s cool about praying the Lord’s Prayer is that even if you don’t get all the way through it, if you pause to mull over each line, and pray about things that come to mind related to each request, you have still prayed for some very significant things. You’ve still asked The Father for the things Jesus seemed to think were a top priority.

What I’m describing isn’t anything new; people have been praying this prayer and thinking these kinds of thoughts for centuries. But that’s part of the point, isn’t it? It’s funny how praying the Lord’s Prayer sometimes seems like a novel idea, but it’s really the opposite. A common complaint (and I’ve said it before) is I don’t even know how to pray right now! If you’re feeling this way, maybe a good place to start is with the not-so-novel prayer that Jesus taught his disciples. It might not seem like it applies to the very thing you’re going through, but I think Jesus made it broad enough to cover all your bases. Every joy, every difficulty, every trial can be brought to God in the words “Your Kingdom come. Your will be done,” as well as in the words, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” 

James Bryan Smith notes that "Jesus reveals the nature of the God to whom he prays in the context of his prayer." -The Good and Beautiful God, p.60

 In other words, the fact that Jesus says we can ask The Father for certain things is an indicator of his character. We can ask him for these things with the knowledge that he already wants to give them to us, otherwise, Jesus wouldn't have told us to ask for them!

In the liturgical church I grew up in, one of the prayers we prayed begins with these words: Almighty and Everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray...

I think that's a pretty good incentive to pray. So, armed with the words Jesus taught us, the truths they remind us of, and the knowledge that they help to reveal God's character, may we begin (or be encouraged to continue) to pray to the One who is ready to hear. Even if you just think about the words "Our Father" for a while, I don't think you'll be in danger of wasting your time.