The Red, + Black, Letter Prayer - Part 1
Politely greeting each other, young and old gather for their weekly prayer meeting. The eldest starts off with the “Lord’s Prayer.”Our gracious Father in heaven, you are to be praised Father
Our gracious Father in heaven, you are to be praised Father
Hallowed be Your name oh mighty one.
Father, may Your kingdom come God.
Your will be done Heavenly Father
On earth O mighty God as it is in heaven Father God.
Holy Father Give us this day Father our daily bread.
And great and merciful Father, forgive us our debts God,
As we try to, God, forgive our debtors.
And holy Father, do not lead us God into temptation,
But gracious Father deliver us, God, from evil O precious Savior.
For Yours, heavenly Father is the kingdom, God and the power, Father and the glory almighty God forever, O God Amen.
Am I being hyperbolic? Although most do not repeat the “Lord’s Prayer” with all these other “black letter” words, most, like me, learned to pray this way. And the crazy part is that I never heard the number of superfluous names of God I automatically inserted as “fillers” between the words I wanted to say.
As to these “holy fillers”, I’m not sure who started that practice. Perhaps the leaders who taught us to pray this way came from large families where, if they paused for even a second, another would hijack the conversation. But who talks like this to another person? Definitely not me. Yet that is the way many have been taught to talk with our Papa God.
Well, after more than a decade of praying like this, I started hearing every word I was saying. This prompted the question, “Is this what a family discussion with God should sound like? How should a child talk with Papa?”
In studying the context of this model prayer, Jesus’ introductory statements seized my attention.
And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6: 7- 8 ESV)
Were all these “holy fillers” just empty phrases? By inserting one of his names with every phrase, I was addressing Father as if He was ADD.
Thus, before instructing us how to pray, Jesus states what not to do, “do not heap up empty phrases”. To this, I would add the 3rd commandment, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) Would you agree that this is what I was doing with all the superfluous “God”, “Father”, and “Savior” words with which I peppered my prayers?
After telling us not to sound like those who can only hope that God hears their prayers, Jesus instructs us to pray in this manner.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (Matthew 6:9 ESV)
Calling our Creator “Father” is a family term, indicating intimacy and security. “Hallowed” means treating His name with reverence or respect. But doesn’t God already know that? I doubt He’s wondering which are His children. I’m told that a parent can hear a scream come out of a tumble of kids and know if it is their child. So, if He already knows these truths, why tell him?
Perhaps stating who He is reminds me of who I am addressing. I have noted this habit of stating characteristics and acts of the “I AM” in the prayers recorded throughout the Bible as well as those found in Jewish traditions. So, it’s probably a good practice. Although you and I have a direct line of communication with God and the right to call Him “Papa”, we need to be careful not to become too casual. Our “Father in heaven” is not our “homie” or “bro”.
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10 ESV)
This is the overall mission of God’s work on earth, establishing His kingdom hidden in plain sight within all earthly nations and tribes. And the signature of this kingdom is that the Father’s will is done among its members as quickly as it is done in heaven. And as a point of interest, over the past 2000 years, the expansion of His kingdom continues to accelerate!
So what is our part in this growing kingdom? Having been born of the Spirit of God, you and I are engaged in the process of renewing our minds (Romans 12:2), putting off the old and putting on the new until we resemble Jesus (Ephesians 4). Since I am part of this kingdom on earth, this request could be paraphrased, “Your will be done in me as it is done in heaven.”
Thus, our prayers should focus on advancing the kingdom in our own lives, our home, our neighborhood, and the world. And as kingdom citizens, our willingness to do His will on earth should increasingly be like it is in heaven. I’m getting there, but at a turtle’s pace.
Give us this day our daily bread, (Matthew 6:11 ESV)
This part of this model prayer resonates with everyone. Me. My needs and the needs of those close to me. Health, money, situations, anxiety, conflicts, desires, heartbreak, and loss. For decades, the content of my prayers focused on these personal issues. This also seemed true of the group prayers in which I participated. I even heard one prayer meeting described as an organ recital – this one’s liver, that one’s heart, another’s gallbladder. Now don’t misunderstand me, I’m not marginalizing our wants and needs.
Jesus affirmed the importance of all these issues of life when He mentioned the care the Father has for the sparrows, the flowers, and even the hairs on your head (Matthew 10). When I am praying and hear the birds outside, I thank Father that He cares about them and that He cares about me even more. But go back to what Jesus said in his introduction, just before teaching us this prayer, “your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” If He already knows, why ask? That is a good question for which I do not have a good answer. But He does tell us to ask, so I do.
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12 ESV)
Now we are getting into the relational stuff where offenses hinder relationships. For decades, I did not notice the last part of this phrase “as we also have forgiven our debtors”. Being prone to offend Father by rejecting His ways, I had enough to repent of without considering how much I had been offended, even with my “thick skin.” Until about 30 years ago, I was not even aware of how my massive memory had catalogued and built a mountain out of all the offenses against me. I called it my Mount Offense.
After working through the challenges of forgiving others and myself, I wrote a guide book on conquering one’s Mount Offense. I may draw from it more in another article. But here, suffice it to say that God desires us not to let those molehills of offense accumulate into mountains.
Now, lest you have not grasped the significance of forgiving others, Jesus repeats himself after finishing this model prayer.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV)
Yes, it’s that important. Simply trying to forgive is not an option, no matter how painful or grievous the offense. Many get stuck at this point in trying to conquer their Mount Offense. I may be able to guide you across that crevice.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:13 ESV)
Whereas the previous phrase addressed the offenses that have been committed, this phrase looks toward the future challenges you and I will face. Since “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1), I’m not sure how to accurately apply this phrase of “lead us not into temptation.” But it is clear that Father’s desire is that we are not overcome by the evil we face.
Perhaps some of you can provide clarity on this issue of temptation particularly as James 1:13-14 states, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” I’ll pass on your wisdom.
This blog on prayer is developing into a mini-series. So I will wrap up this section here.
CALL TO ACTION:
1. Learn with me to pray the red letters without the “holy fillers” and “empty phrases.” Be gracious with yourself. If you are like me, these extras have been established habits that will not change overnight.
2. Expand your prayers beyond personal wants and needs. Ask Father to forward the kingdom in your life, in your spouse, your children, and your colleagues.
