There's an
interesting dichotomy between the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah and the New
Testament lesson from Matthew today.[1] It's one that actually pervades the two
testaments, but is rarely so clear as these two readings. In the Old Testament, the distance,
awe-someness and sheer unknowability of God is emphasized. And in the New Testament, everything we are
taught to know and understand about God, the Father, is what we know through
His Son, Jesus, the Christ.
"For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so
are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." This statement comes directly after the
instructions from Isaiah to "seek the Lord", because even when we
don't understand, His thoughts
do. The distance between God and His
creation is still emphasized, but the desire for closer communion with God
seems to stem from God Himself. His
prophet is instructed to tell us to seek Him.
Mankind, however, continues to both keep the distance – as one would
hold the concept of a peasant to a king, with obeisance and worship – and at
the same time, through that distance and lack of personal connection, makes
choices that disregard God's will and love for His creation.
We contrast
that with the instructions from Christ, who has a much closer relationship –
both with God, and with His disciples.
The provision of what we have made into "The Lord's Prayer"
was basically an example, to say, this isn't a grand, public demonstration by
those who fill their words with empty rhetoric.
This is talking with your dad, in the quiet of your home. His wisdom, His infinite knowledge already
know what you want and need, but do him the respect of putting it into words. And He gives us an example:
Hey
Dad,
We
pray your will be acknowledged and accepted everywhere,
That
your divine right to rule will be universally accepted and followed.
We
know you have the right plan in heaven; may we follow it on Earth.
I
pray that no one goes hungry today, but is provided food for body and spirit.
Help
us to forgive ourselves as easily as we forgive others.
Save
us from the trials to come, and deliver us that we don't fall to sin easily.
Now there's
that Old Testament part of us that recoils at the concept of being so personal
and informal with God, calling Him "Dad", but that's the word Jesus
used – Abba. He didn't use
"Av", meaning father, but rather the diminutive, Abba, meaning
dad. He actually began with "our
father", which Paul points out in his letter to the Romans and elsewhere,
adopts us into the family. So when you
pray in private, think about having that personal conversation with God, about
speaking with your Father, who is, of course, older and wiser, and in ways unknowable. But remember that Christ came to teach us, to
help us to know the Father through Him, to understand that what we appreciate
about Christ, we now can comprehend about God.
It's still a work in progress, but I think Dad knows that. Try using the prayer as an example, not as
words to repeat in a private conversation.
Let us
pray: Dear God, we are held in awe by
your immense wisdom and love. We have
been so blessed by you, by your Son, we don't have the words to thank you
enough, but you know our overflowing hearts. We ask that you give us ears to
hear, eyes to see, and a heart that abides by your will. Help us to eat
the bread you give us, and to share with those who don't yet know of you. Lord, we ask this through Christ's name. Amen.
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