THE LORDS PRAYER I cannot say Our if I live in a watertight spiritual compartment. I cannot say Father if I do not demonstrate the relationship in daily living. I cannot say who art in heaven if I am so occupied with the earth that I am laying up no treasures there. I cannot say hallowed be Thy name if I, who am called by His name, am not holy. I cannot say Thy kingdom come if I am not doing all in my power to hasten its coming. I cannot say Thy will be done if I am questioning, resentful of, or disobedient to His will for me. I cannot say on earth, as it is in heaven if I am not prepared to devote my life here to His service. I cannot say give us this day our daily bread if I am living on past experience or if I am an under-the-counter shopper. I cannot say forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us if I harbor a grudge against anyone. I cannot say lead us not into temptation if I deliberately place myself in a position to be tempted. I cannot say deliver us from evil if I am not prepared to fight it in the spiritual realm with the weapon of prayer. I cannot say Thine is the kingdom if I do not accord the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal subject. I cannot say Thine is the power if I fear what men may do or what my neighbors may think. I cannot say Thine is the glory if I am seeking glory for myself. I cannot say forever and ever if my horizon is bounded by the things of time. To the extent that we think the thoughts of Christ, to that same extent do we have the power of Christ. The king in Shakespeares Hamlet miserably fails in prayer. In explanation, he says: My words fly up, my thoughts remain below, Words without thoughts never to heaven go. We, too, fail because our prayers are words without thoughts.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 07:38:02 +0000
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