Devotions...

Meditations on the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father… Hallowed be Thy Name” from Ash Wednesday

February 18, 2015

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Lent is a time of repentance and prayer. To be sure, every season of the Christian’s life ought be a season of repentance and prayer, as our catechism teaches that “by daily contrition and repentance” we wrestle against our old sinful nature; but in this season we focus our distracted attention and feeble efforts on such things and we lean on repentance and prayer that we might learn anew our dependence on God’s mercy in Christ Crucified, delivered in God’s gathering of His people for Word and Sacrament, even as the prophet Joel foreshadowed, “Blow the trumpet in Zion, … call the solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elderly; gather the children – even the nursing infants…” Why? To mourn our sins, rend our hearts and plead God’s mercy, for perhaps He will leave a grain offering and drink offering, ‘bread and wine.’ And so: “Lord, spare Your people.”

But as we mourn our sins and rend our hearts, we are keenly aware of the inadequacy of any prayer our hearts could ever produce, for sinful hearts cannot produce holiness. Jesus condemns all our self-righteousness when He says, “What comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a man.” And so, what relief to know that the Lord Jesus himself knows this and, because he thinks so highly of prayer, takes it upon himself to teach us to pray. He does not say, “Look, I died for you, shed my blood for you; atoned for you before the judgment seat of My Father. The least you can do is wax eloquent a pious prayer!” Rather, he knows our weakness and says, I will teach you to pray:

“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… Rather, Pray in this manner: ‘Our Father.’” 

Notice, friends, how Jesus turns on its head the notions of what makes for a good prayer. How many people judge prayer by emotions or eloquence, disregarding the Lord’s Prayer because they say it’s merely heartless “empty phrases” to use the same words as Jesus. But Jesus says, When you pray, do not heap up “empty phrases” of your own making, thinking you’ll be heard for your eloquence. Rather, pray what I have taught you!

That doesn’t mean that we can’t pray other prayers, but all prayer will be grounded in the petitions of this prayer, as the Large Catechism explains: “Here there is included in seven successive articles, or petitions, every need that never ceases to apply to us.” (LC III.34). In fact, St. Matthew records Jesus’ instruction as, “Pray thusly, in this manner.” Our English phrase, “pray like this” doesn’t do it justice because we attribute it to an example of attitude or posture. But Jesus actually says, “Pray thusly, in this way” and Luke records it as, “When you pray say, (this).” Jesus wants us to know and use and meditate upon this Lord’s Prayer. And yet the world frowns on it as empty phrases. Luther calls the Lord’s Prayer the greatest martyr because it’s despised by so many who think themselves too holy to pray such ‘empty’ words. Against them stands Christ himself: Pray this!

To begin, we are to pray: “Our Father who art in heaven.” Consider the depth of this phrase. As we call to our God, consider that this prayer reminds us that the entire complexity and economy of the divine Godhead is lending Himself to us in prayer. How much comfort is to be had when considering that the phrase “Our Father” guarantees us that the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is availing Himself to us in prayer: for “No one comes unto the Father but by Me,” Jesus says, and “No one calls Jesus ‘Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus teaches us to pray to the Father in heaven. Of this there can be no doubt. But such does not mean that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are left out of it. Rather, Jesus himself promises to intercede for us. Remember that in Psalm 110, the Father says to the Son ‘Sit at My Right Hand’ (the Hebrew idiom meaning the Son has the same authority as the Father), and what is the Son doing with this authority – He is interceding for us with the Father, even as St. Paul declares, “Christ Jesus is the one who died, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God the Father, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8). And again, the writer to the Hebrews says, “Therefore [Jesus] is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, for He always lives to make intercession for them.” (7:25). And again, the apostle John writes, “We have an advocate (an intercessor) with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One.” And, does not Jesus Himself say, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate – the Holy Spirit”? (John 14:16).

Yes, not only does Jesus advocate for us with the Father, but simultaneously He promises also another helper, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who both Peter and Paul say was given us in baptismal adoption as sons, that we might cry out, “Abba, Father.” Not unlike, “Our Father.” 

So then, friends, when you pray “Our Father,” know that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit lend their collective ear to you – and that complex, mysterious intercommunication within the incomprehensible divine Godhead who once said, “Let us make man in our image” is now occurring again: “Let us hear his prayer.” Yes, that loving God immediately and wonderfully hears your prayer.

And that means we can pray with all boldness and confidence. Our Father is not an angry, vindictive Father. Even as He sees in us only sin, dust, and ashes, the Son intercedes for us and reminds the Father of the Son’s purchase price of our souls with His own blood, and the Father rejoices in our adoption as sons, as the apostle writes, “What manner of love the Father has given us, that we should be called sons of God, and we are!” And, in that love, Father and Son together (St. John says) send the Holy Spirit in Word and water to give us boldness in our prayer, “Our Father.”

“Our Father” – “with these words, God tenderly invites you to believe that He is your true Father, and you His true child.” 

But, children sometimes fear their father… especially when they know their wrongdoing. If you were to appeal to the Father yourself, would you not have every reason to tremble? You know your sins; you haven’t been good about wearing and using and calling upon His name. You easily lead yourself into doubting whether He intends to give you what you need. 

But, St. Paul reminds us that you do not appeal to an angry God. Rather, “He who spared not His own Son, but gave Him up to death for us all, how will He not now with that Son graciously give us all things?”

As the Father is reminded by the Son who intercedes for us that He, the Father, gave up the Son as a priceless sacrifice for the judgment we deserved, then the Father looks at you with great joy that His sacrifice accomplished what He promised. And He gladly gifts you with, pours out on you in baptism, the Holy Spirit, who teaches you to pray, Abba, Father. That word Abba is best translated, “Daddy.” Terms of endearment for children – from toddlerhood to twilight years – to know. Your heavenly Father - because of the intercession and advocacy of the Son and the Holy Spirit - Your heavenly Father rejoices over you so that the Son says, “You will ask in my name… (and) the Father himself loves you.” So, call upon Your God, for – as the first commandment reminds you – you need no other god. There is no other god to be had in your life or in the presence of this wonderfully incomprehensible (but wonderfully intimate) Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So leave all other gods in dust and ashes and call out “Our Father” with all boldness and confidence as dear children ask their dear father. 

Now what are we to ask our God? First, “Hallowed be Thy Name.” That doesn’t sound so much a request as it does a word of praise. But make no mistake, we are requesting something great of God in this petition. Literally, the phrase is “Let your Name be hallowed.”

On the face of it, this seems a silly request. God’s Name and identity is already and always holy.  It’s already sacred, set-apart, pure, righteous. God’s name cannot lose its objective worth or value, no matter how much the world defames it… just as gold, being used for evil purposes or even thrown away, hasn’t stopped being gold. It’s still gold!

God’s name will always be God’s name – it is certainly holy in and of itself. Just as God’s existence does not depend upon whether anyone believes in him, so also the holiness of his identity doesn’t depend on whether it is seen as being holy.

But, for our benefit, He desires that we keep His name holy among us, even as He has commanded, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord Your God.” There’s the disease we pray God to defend us from: We, his own baptismally adopted children, do not always use or defend or baptismally wear His identity rightly. 

Oh, how constantly we bring shame upon our God’s name!... the ‘family name and reputation’ He gave us in Baptism, calling us His own as a father takes ownership of an orphan… and we shame his name! Rending our hearts at our sin, we ought recall that He baptizes us into that Holy Name, even as He instructed His apostles, “Make disciples, baptizing in(to) the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them all things I have given.” Notice, how God’s name is kept holy? First by safeguarding and cherishing His teaching – that’s an appeal to doctrine!

God’s name is kept holy among us in teaching when His Word is taught in truth and purity, no more or no less. Simply depend upon, learn, study, and cherish the Word of God, defend it to the death, remain in His Word and you will be His disciples.

In season and out of season, faithful pastors will teach and faithful hearers will rejoice in not what they want to hear, but what they need to hear: the preaching of repentance and forgiveness of sins, the echoing of St. Paul - “We desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him Crucified”, the exhortation to good works that flow not out of hopes of self-merit, but out of Christian love. 

And that Christian preaching from the pulpit will continue in the home. Dads and moms will speak of it daily to their family; they will bring their little ones to receive the inheritance of heaven as Christ applies it to them in baptism. Dads and moms will teach those little lambs the name and promises of their Good Shepherd. Dads and moms will exhort those children when they are growing up but still under their roof to properly repent and depend on God’s grace in the Sacrament of the Altar, not just until they move out of the house, but all their days. And husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, Christians of all vocations will confess to one another such dependence on God’s Word and Sacrament, as Christ has promised these blessed gifts.

And if you know and cherish his teaching, then you will pray that God help you to lead holy lives according to that teaching. Husbands and wives will wrestle with sin to hallow God’s name in their marriage, seeing each other bearing the name of Christ on their forehead and in their heart and therefore forgiving one another in all things and being faithful in all things. Children will wrestle with sin to love and honor parents, teachers, and authorities, and will be grateful for their siblings. Businesses will be honest, reputations will be safeguarded, lives and bodies defended and respected, property and possessions protected, others considered before self.

What poor miserable beggars we are when comparing ourselves to the first and second commandment and keeping holy the name of our God. Of our own strength, it is a futile effort. So, we are right to plead, Lord Jesus, spare your people. Cover our transgressions with your holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death; apply it in the forgiveness of sins you promise to deliver in your Scripture and Sacraments. And Lord, teach us sinners to pray. Teach us to call out: “Our Father, in teaching and in life: let Thy Name be hallowed among us!”

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Prayers for the week of February 22, 2015

Almighty God, we give You thanks that, immediately after His Baptism, Your Son continued His work of salvation by His temptation in the wilderness. We give thanks that in Him, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”   Lord, in Your mercy:  HEAR OUR PRAYER.

We pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.   

  

Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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“The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.  And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.  And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.”  Mark 1:12-13

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A Prayer based on the Petitions of the Lord’s Prayer:  “For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. AMEN.”

In the Name of the Father and of  the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Lord, You give us every reason to say, “Amen. Amen. It shall be so!” To you belongs all power and glory, forever and ever. Therefore, hear the praise that is given through an appeal to your mercy, and lend your fatherly ear to my petitions:

* For the ill, suffering, injured: O Lord, You show your power and glory through mercy toward sinners. Hear my prayer for those who are ill, suffering, or injured, especially Debbie Taylor, Sue Ail- and Catherine Stange* (who is recovering from a medical procedure) as well as all those who are ill and afflicted:; remind them of Your compassion and, according to Your will, heal  of all affliction. In all circumstances, strengthen their faith, that they might clearly confess, “AMEN.”

* For the anxious, lonely: O God, Yours is the kingdom. Yours is the power. Yours is the glory. Yet, we sinners so often grow anxious about the temporal trials that face us. Hear my prayer on behalf of  our shut-ins including Irene Fehrman, Geraldine Hagemann, Velma Maas, Bruce Morecraft, and Alice Breneman and also for all the Widows and Widowers of Calvary.  Remind them that there is none other besides You who deserves all glory, and thus none other that need weaken our “AMEN.” Bring Irene, Geraldine, Velma, Bruce, and Alice and the Widows and Widowers confidence in the hour of trial, that they may take heart in Your promises, “Yes, yes. It shall be so!”

* For the mourning: O Lord, because You have all power and glory and dominion over life and death, we may rejoice in the Christian’s death, even as we mourn our earthly loss. Hear my prayer on behalf of Cal Miller and his family and the family Norm Bunge, who laid to rest the body of Norm and also of Cal’s wife, Velda, as they mourn the death of a loved one. Comfort them with the promise that Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life – “whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Cheer Cal and his family and also Norm Bunge's family with such life-giving words, that they might not weep as they who have no hope, but confidently confess, “I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN – It shall be so!”

* For the rejoicing: O Lord, as a God of glory, You are also a God who delights in showering us with blessings. Hear my prayer of thanksgiving on behalf of all who today rejoice. Grant them a thankful heart, ever fixed on your grace through Christ Crucified, and therefore joins the eternal refrain – “AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.”

* Lord, please bring faith to unbelieving friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family including Anne, Vickie, Alexa, Dan, Paul, Kevin (and family) that they trust in the sufficiency of Your perfect life and atoning death for our eternal salvation by drawing them to your Word and Sacrament.

Hear my petitions, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Your Son, whose sacrificial death gives us the freedom to say, “AMEN – God’s promises shall be so!”, so that we may with all boldness pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven…”