“Our Father
Which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.
Amen.”
The Lord’s Prayer is one I was taught as a child. I continued to practice saying this prayer with my mother and siblings as we grew up. I repeated it and repeated it throughout my life so that it almost has become second nature to recite it without even having to think about it.
Much like many other Christians, we have learned to do many “things” and say the “correct” words or even read the “right” version of the Holy Bible.
My challenge to me became to ask myself what I was saying, what did it mean, and is it something I want to say and do? Do the words I say in prayer and the practices I participate either in worshiping by myself or with others have a deeper meaning than just saying or doing them?
From the age of adolescent into our teens, we are fed with milk and honey, much like the things that are taught in Sunday school and in church. However, as we begin to mature, we want the meat that is on the table. The spiritual journey is the responsibility of the individual Christian to explore the meanings of the words we say and the practices we choose to participate.
Once when a teenager I was speaking with a friend who shared that he wasn’t able to take communion because he didn’t confidently understand what the practice meant to him. This statement opened me to consider why I participate in spiritual practices. I began to listen and reflect personally on what “religious practices” meant to me. I began to seek spiritual understanding. As I continued to question and learn, I grew personally and spiritually. My goal was to understand the words Jesus said when he said, “Away with you for I do not know you!”
Our Christian faith is a spiritual and emotional one for each to hold dear and should never be memorized for reciting at a moment’s notice. Though, there are times when this is necessary. No, our faith should embody Jesus’ life, his death and his resurrection. It should never remain as mere memorizations. There needs to be a personalization of who we are as we proclaim and practice our faith.
My challenge is that we each take time to explore our personal faith, asking the Holy Spirit to breathe new life through deeper understanding. Allow the Spirit to move, then move mountain’s in a grounded personal faith and deeper understanding of God’s gift to you.
“Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the Glory, for ever. Amen.”
God’s blessings in Jesus Christ
Amen
