Greetings Dear Reader,
I realize that some
folks think that “for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory” is part
of this prayer example from Jesus. It is
not in the NIV translation, I am using for this but there is a good article for its
inclusion. My purpose here is not to
discuss that but rather to close out this series with some observations about the
vital nature of the cyclical aspect of prayer.
I was speaking with
Avalon recently at length about prayer.
I think too deeply sometimes and it gets me in trouble. The question I have been ping-ponging in my
head is this: If the Father is
omniscient, and he is, then he already knows what I am going to say when I
pray. He also already knows what his
response is. What, therefore, is the
purpose of prayer?
My conversations with
here help me crystalize my thinking on important things and this was no exception. I posed this question and first gave the pat
answer that, though true, is not enough.
We pray out of obedience to our Father.
It should enough, be
but I am stubborn and stiff-necked when it comes to answers to my
questions. I try to process honestly in
the moment with Avalon. It makes for
great communication. This is what I
said, “We interact with God about people so we know how to interact with the
people. Then, their interactions with us drive us back to interacting with God
with a deeper understanding.”
This makes more
sense to me than anything I have pondered about prayer to an omniscient
God. By rehearsing my attitudes and
thoughts with my Father, he can guide me into more loving and gracious interaction
with others. He can nudge me and correct
me about attitudes and ideas that are not reflective of his love. I can refine my heart to be more like his in
my approach to other humans. I can
become more mindful about the very foundation of how I am to interact with my
fellow travelers.
Doing this,
conditions my thinking so that I do not have to react. I know how to respond instead. I am aware of the right way to think and be
towards others even when they are unkind or offensive. My
conversation has already been seated in thoughts of love, grace, mercy, and kindness. When my selfish and angry buttons get pushed,
I have already disabled them with thoughts of how my Father wishes me to behave
toward his other children.
When their actions
and words do harm me, I can return to the Father and pour out my hurts to
him. He already knows and has already
provided words of comfort and a Comforter to be with me in that quiet dark
pain. I do not have to mince words or be
diplomatic. I can be raw and honest with
the Father in the center of my one-on-one time with him. I can find peace in my pain and healing for
my wounds. I can hear the peaceful refrain
God sings my in my brain because I was faithful to his desire for me as his
son. I can see that I have followed his Son
a little more closely.
This cyclical conversation
gets easier and the narrow way of love about all else becomes a path more
navigable. It also becomes easier to find
and follow the path home. Exercising the
heart to love first in each moment strengthens my armor and my power is
greater. The closer I draw to Christ,
the more readily I respond from the heart with love in the moment. It is easier to say in every moment, “This,
then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your
name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have
forgiven our debtors. And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” For yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and
the Glory, forever and ever. Amen.
If you have the time you may wish to listen to part of a sermon by the late S.M. Lockridge. He explains the nature of the King we follow
and who asks us to pray this way. It is
worth understanding Dear Reader. We must
learn to want all things in Jesus’ model prayer in every moment. That is the path home. I find great joy in walking it with you.
The Bible says my
King is a seven-way king He's the King
of the Jews; that's a racial king He's
the King of Israel; that's a national King
He's the King of Righteousness He's
the King of the Ages He's the King of
Heaven He's the King of Glory He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of
lords. That's my King.
Well...I wonder,
do you know Him?
David said,
"The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His
handiwork." My King is a sovereign
King. No means of measure can define His
limitless love. No far-seeing telescope
can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out
His blessings. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful.
Do you know Him?
He's the greatest
phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's Savior. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands in the solitude of Himself. He's august and He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He is the loftiest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He is the supreme problem in higher
criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine
of true theology. He is the cardinal
necessity for spiritual religion. He's
the miracle of the age. He's -- yes, He
is -- He is the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.
He's the only one
qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior.
I wonder if you know Him today. He
supplies strength for the weak. He's
available for the tempted and the tried.
He sympathizes and He saves. He
strengthens and sustains. He guards and
He guides. He heals the sick. He cleansed the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent....and He beautifies
the meek.
I wonder if you
know Him.
Well, my King....He
is the King! He's the key to knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory.
Do you know Him?
Well, His office is
manifold. His promise is sure....and His
light is matchless. His goodness is
limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. And His yoke is easy, and his burden is
light. I wish I could describe Him to
you, but He's indescribable -- Yes He is!
He is God! He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. Well, you can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hand. You can't outlive Him, and you can't live
without Him.
The Pharisees
couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies
to agree. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave
couldn't hold Him. Yea!!!, that's my
King, that's my King.
Yes, and Thine is
the Kingdom....and the Power....and the Glory...Forever....and ever, and ever,
and ever -- How long is that? And ever, and ever. And when you get through with all of the
forevers, then. AMEN! Good God
Almighty! AMEN! AMEN!
Wishing you joy in
the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus
said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of
Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new
and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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