Today's Word - "Our" Part 3

When his disciples asked Jesus how to pray, this is what He said;
 
"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.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"      
Matthew 6:9-13(NIV)

Today's Reflection
 
Have you ever been in a huge crowd and taken the time to stop for a moment and to “take it in”?

Doing so usually overwhelms me. Thinking that I am only one of billions is mind boggling. “All these people are God’s children!” Some are lost as prodigals or elder brothers, others are “found”, yet all are His. When I pray “our” to begin the Lord’s prayer, I remember that my life is not about me. It’s about other people. 

I don’t pray “my Father in heaven”, nor do I pray “a Father in heaven”, nor do I begin with “the” or “Almighty” or “Ours and only our”.  Instead I begin with “our”.

Somehow in some concrete way Jesus is telling us to pray in a way that prevents “me” from becoming the center of my own little world. Instead He insists that I discover how to be all about others and connect to them in a way that enhances their lives. This is how God’s name is hallowed. When I give up myself for the sake of another, as Christ did for us, in that act there is both glory for God and, yes, we get God’s best and real life thrown in now.

As you pray the Lord’s Prayer linger over the word “our”. What does that tell you? Who do you think of? Does it prompt you to do something?

Today's Prayer

“Father, please help me today to notice other people. Make attentive to any specific person who may need a word of encouragement, extra help or a prayer. And Lord, please give me the follow through needed to act on what you show me. Thank you, Father. Amen”