Kingdom's Keys Fellowship
Where God's Kingdom Meets Man's Heart.
In and Within 7 The Light in the Window
“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.”
If we continue what we started in the last writing then we will see the words above are more than just a set of words. They are more than just a recitation. They are a light in the window, a light for the mind, the heart and the spirit. In them Jesus is giving us a method, a framework, perhaps a new psalm to meditate upon. He in essence is teaching us how to pray. Here is an outline to stir up in our unique personalities what lies within us and offer it to the Father. Be it sin, sins, thanksgivings, fears, hopes, dreams---it doesn’t matter. It’s what lies deep within that He wants us to ponder, to bring out, to expose to His Spirit, to seek either its fulfillment or its demise, all in His presence. The Father wants to transform His image in us from rebel to child, from self-destructive to spirit-creative, from controlling in lonely fear to serving in outgoing relational love---to be like Him---and Jesus is giving us the tools to be spiritually transformed.
We have to realize there is no finality or conclusion in these words. That’s what recitation infers. That is, when these words are recited prayer is over. I feel better. I’ve prayed right. Reciting them is all that’s necessary. Bingo, prayer complete. I’ve said it; time to move on.
No, not at all!
As we saw in the context in which this teaching is given it is not really something to recite but a set of ideas that allow our Father to embrace our mind and heart. They are words and phrases filled with the Spirit to take us into the depths of ultimate reality, God Himself. It’s all about a relationship with Him that builds us now and carries us into eternity, a timeless never-ending relationship in His presence.
Being taught to pray this way means something special. God wants us to delve into who He is, what He is about, to think about Him, to let our errant hearts seek and open up to Him, our frightened spirits reach out to serve Him. Jesus has given us a two-fold goal, intimacy with the Father and reaching out to share that intimacy with believer and non-believer as we are led in the Spirit---ministry in the Body of Christ and mission outside the Body.
So then, let’s take the words Jesus give us and ask the Holy Spirit for the insights He is ready to give--- “Our Father”
First, ‘Our’
This is a collective word Jesus is blessing us with. His Father and ‘our’ Father are the same. We are spiritually sourced in the same Father, Jesus eternally and we, adopted through Jesus. Our Lord Jesus, God the Son, and each of us have the same Father. To know this is to rest in the assurance that our elder brother, Jesus, who went to the Cross for us and rose from the dead to show us the way back to the Father, is always with us. He put His special and unique relationship with His Father on the line for us. Our faith, our wills, our sorrows, our joys, our reality, our lives, our humanity, our destiny---their meaning and purpose all wrapped in the knowing and loving care of “Our” One Father.
Second, “Father”
It would beyond presumptuousness for me to try and define God the Father. But, and I say this confidently, we have been given the ability to think and relate to Him as Jesus has revealed Him. It is the Lord who has given us the open door to the Father (John 14). So as we listen to Jesus teach we know that we are close to the Father. His Spirit will make that quite clear.
I am particularly struck by the imagery in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Regardless of the hostility, the arrogance and the self-destructive behavior of his younger son, the father sees him at a distance coming home and, filled with joy, runs out to welcome him. For me it’s that very imagery the Spirit has used to stir my memory to let my heart reflect on where I have been, where I am and where I hope to stand. Can I one day see myself coming down the road to my waiting Father who I will find has been pursuing my mind and heart and spirit, the Father who has never left me even though I left Him? And as I visualize this meeting will I be reminded that this meeting became a reality long ago when “On a hill far away stood an old rugged Cross…?” Yes, the same Son who through His sacrifice for me made me a younger brother, will have a smile on His face, the smile of His Father, like Father like Son, and the family will meet me and welcome me home.
Scripture is our connection and filled with connecting points for each of us. This has only been a brief example in the midst of centuries of believers pondering the Father’s presence and being. But do you see where Jesus’ words lead us? For each of us it will be a unique experience. That’s the point. A unique Father with a unique Son and a unique Spirit has made us to be like Him, unique in ability to have a unique deep and intimate relationship with Him.
Where are you as you take the words “Our” and “Father”? Can you go beyond with Jesus and let the Spirit move this set of teachings to take your mind, your heart and your spirit to see ‘in and within’ where the Father, Our Father, waits? By the way couldn’t we apply all of these thoughts to all of Scripture? We’ll leave the light on for you.
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.”
If we continue what we started in the last writing then we will see the words above are more than just a set of words. They are more than just a recitation. They are a light in the window, a light for the mind, the heart and the spirit. In them Jesus is giving us a method, a framework, perhaps a new psalm to meditate upon. He in essence is teaching us how to pray. Here is an outline to stir up in our unique personalities what lies within us and offer it to the Father. Be it sin, sins, thanksgivings, fears, hopes, dreams---it doesn’t matter. It’s what lies deep within that He wants us to ponder, to bring out, to expose to His Spirit, to seek either its fulfillment or its demise, all in His presence. The Father wants to transform His image in us from rebel to child, from self-destructive to spirit-creative, from controlling in lonely fear to serving in outgoing relational love---to be like Him---and Jesus is giving us the tools to be spiritually transformed.
We have to realize there is no finality or conclusion in these words. That’s what recitation infers. That is, when these words are recited prayer is over. I feel better. I’ve prayed right. Reciting them is all that’s necessary. Bingo, prayer complete. I’ve said it; time to move on.
No, not at all!
As we saw in the context in which this teaching is given it is not really something to recite but a set of ideas that allow our Father to embrace our mind and heart. They are words and phrases filled with the Spirit to take us into the depths of ultimate reality, God Himself. It’s all about a relationship with Him that builds us now and carries us into eternity, a timeless never-ending relationship in His presence.
Being taught to pray this way means something special. God wants us to delve into who He is, what He is about, to think about Him, to let our errant hearts seek and open up to Him, our frightened spirits reach out to serve Him. Jesus has given us a two-fold goal, intimacy with the Father and reaching out to share that intimacy with believer and non-believer as we are led in the Spirit---ministry in the Body of Christ and mission outside the Body.
So then, let’s take the words Jesus give us and ask the Holy Spirit for the insights He is ready to give--- “Our Father”
First, ‘Our’
This is a collective word Jesus is blessing us with. His Father and ‘our’ Father are the same. We are spiritually sourced in the same Father, Jesus eternally and we, adopted through Jesus. Our Lord Jesus, God the Son, and each of us have the same Father. To know this is to rest in the assurance that our elder brother, Jesus, who went to the Cross for us and rose from the dead to show us the way back to the Father, is always with us. He put His special and unique relationship with His Father on the line for us. Our faith, our wills, our sorrows, our joys, our reality, our lives, our humanity, our destiny---their meaning and purpose all wrapped in the knowing and loving care of “Our” One Father.
Second, “Father”
It would beyond presumptuousness for me to try and define God the Father. But, and I say this confidently, we have been given the ability to think and relate to Him as Jesus has revealed Him. It is the Lord who has given us the open door to the Father (John 14). So as we listen to Jesus teach we know that we are close to the Father. His Spirit will make that quite clear.
I am particularly struck by the imagery in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Regardless of the hostility, the arrogance and the self-destructive behavior of his younger son, the father sees him at a distance coming home and, filled with joy, runs out to welcome him. For me it’s that very imagery the Spirit has used to stir my memory to let my heart reflect on where I have been, where I am and where I hope to stand. Can I one day see myself coming down the road to my waiting Father who I will find has been pursuing my mind and heart and spirit, the Father who has never left me even though I left Him? And as I visualize this meeting will I be reminded that this meeting became a reality long ago when “On a hill far away stood an old rugged Cross…?” Yes, the same Son who through His sacrifice for me made me a younger brother, will have a smile on His face, the smile of His Father, like Father like Son, and the family will meet me and welcome me home.
Scripture is our connection and filled with connecting points for each of us. This has only been a brief example in the midst of centuries of believers pondering the Father’s presence and being. But do you see where Jesus’ words lead us? For each of us it will be a unique experience. That’s the point. A unique Father with a unique Son and a unique Spirit has made us to be like Him, unique in ability to have a unique deep and intimate relationship with Him.
Where are you as you take the words “Our” and “Father”? Can you go beyond with Jesus and let the Spirit move this set of teachings to take your mind, your heart and your spirit to see ‘in and within’ where the Father, Our Father, waits? By the way couldn’t we apply all of these thoughts to all of Scripture? We’ll leave the light on for you.
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