Prayer- Our Father In Heaven

A few weeks back my wife and I received a new tv as a housewarming gift. After we got over the shock, we started to unpack it. Our new set is a little more advanced than our last, so I looked for the manual to learn about setting it up. I was greeted by 74 pages of instructions. "Really?", I thought, "It takes 74 pages to learn how to plug in a tv?" Just as I was about call it quits I found the "quick-start" guide. 11 pages with big pictures. Just my speed. Had the tv set up in 5 minutes.

Looking back, I was frustrated because I didn't want to learn about my tv. I wanted to watch my tv. And I've been wondering if a lot of us have the same disappointing experience when it comes to God. We don't want to just acquire information about Him- we want to know Him. Thus our latest teaching series was born.

For the next 7 weeks we'll be using the Lord's Prayer as a quick-start guide to help us have meaningful conversations with God. Although many are familiar with the words of the Lord's prayer, I wonder if we really appreciate what they represent. God (if you believe Jesus is God) is teaching us how to talk to Him. In a clear and concise way. As tired as we can get of listening to people's opinions about God or of having to dig for direct, simple answers to our questions about faith- you'd think we'd grab hold of Jesus' words here and wear them out. That's our goal over the next couple of months anyway. We won't simply be reciting the Lord's prayer over and over. Instead, we'll talk through each phrase and ask ourselves why Jesus taught it to us.

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
For example, why does Jesus tell us to start this way? Is this just a formality? Is this Jesus' version of our own pat greetings (Hey man, buddy, dude, girlfriend, playa, etc.)? Or is the choice of wording important to this process? One way to think through this question is to ask why Jesus made prayer a regular part of His life. He had no sin to confess, and seemed much better positioned than we are to make it through life on His own. Probably something about being God in the flesh. Yet Jesus prayed more than most/all of us. Why? He wanted to continue His relationship with His Father. As Jesus teaches us to pray, He urges us to ground our prayer in relationship

VENDING MACHINES
Lately our 4 year old has discovered vending machines. The old fashioned kind where you pop in a quarter, turn the nob and get some gum that peters out in 30 seconds, a tacky temporary tattoo or a toy that will be lost before days end. In fact, our daughter is so intrigued by this exchange that she's started suggesting that we drop by stores and restaurants that have them. Ah, the power of commerce and greed. But am I so different? Don't I treat God like a spiritual vending machine? Isn't prayer just the currency I insert into the slot so I can turn the handle and expect God to spit out whatever I am asking for? No? Ok, when was the last time I prayed just because I was thinking of God and wanted to check in- without needing something. Hmmmmm? You too? Maybe this is why Jesus tells us to start praying with an acknowledgment that God is our Parent. Yes, He'll encourage us to ask for what we and others need later. But, without a relational focus, prayer might become just another business transaction.

REFLECT

• Do I really want a relationship with God? Or something else?
  
• Does the way I pray reflect that?
• If not, why not?
  
• Why do you think Jesus tells us to think of God as a spiritual Parent?
• Check out Matthew 6:1-8 and note the things Jesus says about "your Father" (ex. "your Father sees what you do in private"- God pays attn to us). Which statement speaks most strongly to you today?

PRAY

• Have a conversation with God about your desire or lack of desire for a relationship with Him. Celebrate, confess, ask for help, etc.
• Start each prayer this week with some words that acknowledge the relationship between you and God.
• Rewrite the first line of Jesus’ prayer- putting your own words around the idea that God is your Parent.