Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
Just enough to get me through the day.
Not too much, or I might get prideful.
Not too little, or I might not make it at all.
Just…enough.
How about a deal, Lord?
I’ll trust that you know how much I need, and you…
remind me that you know what “enough” looks like.
Happy Thursday, Beloved.
…your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
I think the hardest part of the whole living for God thing can be found in this verse. Because God doesn’t always listen to my design input as he formulates his will, and frankly that annoys me.
But here’s something to chew on, Beloved: Heaven is all about God’s will. So, if we can’t learn to say, “Your will be done” here, well…our first few weeks of eternity might get a little crunchy.
Of course, that may be part of why we’re here in the first place: to learn to say, “Your will be done” and mean it with our whole everything.
I can’t do it
Yet.
But someday…
Happy Wednesday, Beloved.
…hallowed be your name…(Matthew 6:9)
Hallowed
You know, like holy.
The Jews were so intense when it came to the holiness of God that they wouldn’t even utter the name YAHWEH. They considered it blasphemy. I remember as a kid being told not to “take the Lord’s name in vain.” I didn’t really get what “in vain” meant, but I figured that God’s name was special and only to be used in prayer.
These days, we seem to be past all that. Our society uses God’s name all the time–and not always in prayer.
Not often in prayer.
Beloved, perhaps today is a good day to remind ourselves that God is not like us. I mean, we are made in his image, and Jesus became flesh and lived among us, but ultimately…he is different.
His is separate.
He is holy.
There is a purity and a majesty and a power in God that caused everyone who ever came into his presence to fall on their faces. Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips!” God appears to people as an angel, or as fire, or as tempest, because God in his true glory would crisp them.
So, while God is our loving Father
He is also
Almighty God.
Walk in reverence today.
Happy Tuesday, Beloved.
This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven…(Matthew 6:9)
Not Mighty God
Not Lord of the Universe
Not Holy One
Not Creator
Not Sustainer
Not Giver and Taker of Life
Not Commander of the Heavenly Host
Even though all those names are true
Father
When Jesus taught his followers to pray, he started with Father.
And so should we.
Happy Monday, Beloved
Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ, his son.
And now let the weak say, “I am strong…”
Let the poor say, “I am rich,”
Because of what the Lord has done for us.
And now let the sick say, “I am whole…”
(Give Thanks, Don Moen, 1986)
God is not bound by time.
Stay with me here.
God created time. He exists outside of it. He is simultaneously present at all moments of eternity.
So…..?
So, my body may ache, my soul may weep, my society may be wracked with sin and pain and loss.
but
God sees more. He sees me as I am, but also as I will be. He sees the aching, but also the relief. He hears the weeping, but also the rejoicing. He knows the sin, but also the redemption.
Singing this line is not a denial or what is. It is a celebration of what also is.
Not just someday, but right now. Because for God, it’s all right now.
When God looks at you…what does he see?
Wow
Happy Friday, Beloved.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16: 34).
Busy day today.
You’ve got a turkey to burn, cranberries to sauce, potatoes to mash, tables to set, dishes to break, shards to sweep up, relatives to endure/enjoy…
Beloved, take a moment, right now, before the craziness descends. Offer your heart and your mind and your day and your life to Him in thanksgiving. If you don’t do it now…
Breathe deep, and thank him that he chooses to be good
That he chooses to love you
That he chooses to choose you forever, not until he gets bored with you or until you mess up in some way and displease him
Because…no offense…but I’m sure that’s already happened.
He could choose to stop loving you, but he won’t.
It’s in his power, but it’s not in his nature.
His love endures forever.
You are his Beloved.
Forever
Happy Thanksgiving, Beloved.
Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ, his son.
And now, let the weak say, “I am strong…”
Let the poor say, “I am rich,”
Because of what the Lord has done for us.
(Give Thanks, Don Moen, 1986)
Yes you are.
Rich
Oh, your car may be falling apart and your dishwasher may be dying and you may be checking the sofa for enough change to make a Del Taco run, but you are rich.
First, in this world you are rich. Beloved, there are people out there who pray for shoes so they won’t have to walk barefoot
who pray for clean water to wash the dishes with
who pray for dishes…and food to put on them.
And in the spiritual world…are you kidding? You’re the beloved child of the King of, you know, Everything.
You are in possession of the greatest treasure the universe has ever known:
the love of God.
Baby, you are rolling in it.
Bask in your wealth today, Beloved.
Happy Wednesday.
Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because he’s given Jesus Christ, his son.
And now, let the weak say, “I am strong…”
Context is really important.
This line from Don Moen’s song is found in the Bible in Joel 3:10. Of course, those of you who look it up will find that the Lord is actually speaking to the enemies of Israel, the nations who have plundered and destroyed his people. God is essentially telling them to “Bring it on,” to prepare to fight, because God is going to turn them to powder.
Not exactly the same feeling Mr. Moen was looking to engender in his song.
Why am I telling you this? Well, for one thing, I want you to be Biblically literate. If we’re going to use Scripture, we should at least know what it really says.
Also, even with the contextual confusion, this remains one of my all-time favorite worship songs. And the message is true, even if the reference is a bit askew. The Bible is full of the truth that God gives strength to the weak. He offers–may I be so bold as to say that he longs–to show his strength in our feebleosity.
Do you feel weak?
Well, you are…you know… in and of yourself.
But in Christ…oh, baby!
In Christ you are mighty. In Christ, you have the power to do battle with whatever comes against you today. In Christ, your weakness is transformed into his great strength.
So now, though you are weak, say, “I am strong!”
Happy Tuesday, Beloved.
As we close in on Thanksgiving, I’m going to look at one of my favorite worship songs. It’s written by Don Moen. Part of it is Scripture; all of it is scriptural. Feel free to sing along!
Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his son.
Are you thankful today, Beloved? Do you even have time to stop and think of all you have to be thankful for? Or are you so busy preparing your food or your house or your travel plans that preparing your heart has slipped down the list? Even worse–has your Christmas to-do list leapfrogged Thanksgiving entirely? Look, I’m not judging; I know you’ve got a lot to do. Myself, I’m looking at a garage that needs to be cleaned–I’ve been putting it off for eight months now–just so I can get to the Christmas lights, most of which are broken, if I remember correctly. I have a vague memory of an entire string of lights falling from the roof last January, resulting in a barrage of mini-explosions and a decision that I would replace all the lights “Next year,” when finances would undoubtedly be better, except they’re not. So I’ve probably gotta buy lights, and garland, and maybe a lawn elf–but no inflatables, I’m passionately against inflatables–before I can even start decorating, and some of the neighbors are done already…
Yeah, so I get it.
But, for those of us in Christ, the One we give thanks for this Thursday is the same One we celebrate at Christmas. It’s pretty much the same holiday; you just have to swap funny hats.
Of course, you know that already…you’re a bright one.
So, hey, take time this week–like today, like right now–to stop and breathe and give thanks.
For him
For you and him
Happy Monday, Beloved.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:7-8).
Shhhhh.
Talk less.
Listen more.
Happy Friday, Beloved