A
pastor I knew once told me how he changed the format of the Lord’s Prayer in a
congregation where he was serving from the words that we frequently use, with “trespasses”
and “temptation” to a version that asks God “to forgive our sins” and “save us
from the time of trial”. When someone complained that the new version wasn’t
what Jesus prayed, Pastor Ernie explained that neither was the earlier version.
None of the versions of the Lord’s Prayer that we use today in worship are
exactly like the prayers we find here in Luke or in Matthew.
But
both Gospel writers include a phrase near the beginning that is preserved in
what we say: “hallowed be thy name”.
“Hallowed”
is often translated as an adjective, but in the Greek, in both Matthew and Luke,
it is a verb.
“Hallowed be thy name,” is an invitation for God to act
in the world. It is not simply praise. It is not to say, “Holy is your name,”
it is a request for God to act in the world so that God’s name would be made
holy.[i]
In
the Common English Bible, the translation is “uphold the holiness of your name”.
With our prayer, we are asking God to show God’s presence in the world so that people
will know God’s name and know who God is.[ii]
That
is a very different prayer posture than coming to God wanting God to fulfill
our desires or meet our needs.
In
fact, in his explanation of this petition, Martin Luther says that God’s name
is hallowed “whenever the word of God is taught clearly and purely and we, as
God’s children, also live holy lives according to it.”[iii]
The late Eugene Peterson in his book Working the Angles wrote:
We want life on our conditions, not God’s conditions. Praying puts us at risk of getting involved in God’s conditions... Praying most often doesn’t get us what we want but what God wants….[iv] (emphasis mine)
In
prayer, we invite God to include us in God’s work in the world. And commit to live according
to God’s design and will, even when it is uncomfortable or unexpected.
Remember
this is a continuation of the conversations Jesus has been having with his
disciples for the last several Sundays. He began by talking about the kingdom
of God and loving our neighbors and he told the story of the Good Samaritan. He
taught us to set aside the preconceptions we may have about the strangers we meet
and love unconditionally.
Then
he dined with Martha and Mary and continued to talk about the hospitality of
God’s people and the importance of being present with those who are with us. He
reminded us to focus on what’s important, listening to Jesus and knowing how
much God loves each of us and our unique gifts.
And now he is talking about God’s own work in the world, and how God listens and responds to us - with more generosity than a loving parent and an invitation to help others see God’s abundant and transforming love in action.
Peterson
reminds us,
Prayer is our response to the initiative of God. [God] is always the conversation starter, and we are always the conversation responder.[v]
As
we enter the last full month of summer, and we continue to grow as disciples or
followers of Jesus, I wonder how we can respond to what we see God doing and
how we can participate in God’s invitation to show others who God is.
We
have opportunities locally and globally.
We regularly have wooden beams in the reception area that we are invited to sign with prayers for new homeowners participating in programs with Habitat for Humanity. And other times, we have food drives to help hungry neighbors. We often help nearby neighbors with resources or connect them with partners who can help even more.
Many
of you are already familiar with our support of Anastasis Baptist Church in
Durango, Mexico, and today after worship, some of us will listen and learn more
about another church, this one in Madagascar, that we have supported. Their congregation
- more than 9,000 miles away and in a different hemisphere - is praying for us
even now.
And
we covet those prayers because we know God’s ways are not our ways and often,
we are called to work that is unexpected. May we always respond with openness
and a commitment to hallow God, helping others know and experience the abundant
love our Holy God offers us all. Amen.
[i] “Proper 12C” Pulpit Fiction. https://www.pulpitfiction.com/notes/proper12c
[ii] ibid
[iii] Luther’s Small Catechism, Study Edition. 35.
[iv] Eugene Peterson. Working the Angles. 44.
[v] ibid, 45.
[i] “Proper 12C” Pulpit Fiction. https://www.pulpitfiction.com/notes/proper12c
[ii] ibid
[iii] Luther’s Small Catechism, Study Edition. 35.
[iv] Eugene Peterson. Working the Angles. 44.
[v] ibid, 45.
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