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<\/a>\u201cOur father \u2013
\nwho art in heaven \u2013
\nhallowed be thy name \u2013
\nthy kingdom come\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n
Many of us feel comforted or peaceful when we recite what are possibly Jesus\u2019 most famous words, but I\u2019m wondering: do you ever feel\u2026challenged by The Lord\u2019s prayer?<\/p>\n
Because you should. <\/p>\n
When you pray The Lord\u2019s Prayer, do you feel like you\u2019re saying something radical, making claims that no person in their right mind would make \u2013 running against the grain? <\/p>\n
Because you should. <\/p>\n
I believe Jesus not only believed the prayer was making \u201cradical\u201d claims, but that was his answer to the disciples when they asked, \u201cTeach us HOW to pray.\u201d <\/p>\n
His answer was, \u201cwhen you pray, say something radical.\u201d <\/p>\n
I believe those who heard Jesus\u2019 teachings on prayer were uncomfortable with what he was saying, and that they might have thought, \u201cWell, I could never pray that. That\u2026that\u2019s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n
We don\u2019t know much about how Jesus prayed. Good historical material about this aspect of his life is hard to find. In particular, we know that some of the prayers attributed to him are the compositions of the author, not the words of Jesus.<\/p>\n
What we do have, however, is a formalized fragment commonly known as The Lord\u2019s Prayer. The way it has survived the ages in Luke is most likely very close to what Jesus said.<\/p>\n
So, I would suggest that it is important to ask \u2013 \u201cWhat does it mean?\u201d <\/p>\n
The prayer is framed in the words of a world to which many of us can\u2019t relate. This prayer reflects the way most thought about God, people and nature long ago. How then do we make sense of it? How do we avoid the tendency to recite the prayer in such a mechanical way? How can it be understood within our contemporary landscape? <\/p>\n
When we pray, what are we to say? <\/p>\n
The disciples\u2019 actual request was not, \u201cteach us what<\/em> to pray,\u201d but rather, \u201cteach us how<\/em> to pray.\u201d Do you hear the subtle difference? <\/p>\n They weren\u2019t asking for a PRE<\/em>scription of what<\/em> to say<\/em>, but rather a DE<\/em>scription of how<\/em> to pray<\/em>. <\/p>\n The disciples weren\u2019t asking Jesus to prescribe the words of a prayer.<\/p>\n They were asking for guidance not a mandate.<\/p>\n What did Jesus answer? He said\u2026\u201dWhen you pray, say\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Be sure to follow the remaining 5 articles to learn about the radicalness of his answer to them.<\/p>\n (1 of a 6 part series on The Lord\u2019s Prayer \u2013 more to come tomorrow)<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n