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Thine is the Kingdom!

Dad and Mom taught me to pray, beginning with the prayer at mealtime, For all we eat, for all we wear, for all we have everywhere, we thank you, Father. Amen. We were taught to bow our heads and fold our hands. What is it about prayer that is so important from a child’s viewpoint? To see my Dad and Mother bow their heads and fold their hands at different times of the day told me it was important. Hearing prayers from the their hearts, crying out to God, made me know it was important.
Then as I grew older, I strayed away from prayer, I know that the silence between God and me was deafening. In the scripture, I learned that the disciples asked the Lord how to pray. Why? Luke 11:1-4 – I read the prayer, said the prayer. Later I began to sing Malotte’s Lord’s Prayer.
In college, I was asked to sing the Lord’s Prayer in a cafeteria — accapella. I played the beginning note, walked to the cafeteria humming that note – I hoped it was the same note. Then I learned we would eat first. Humming the tone between bites was daunting. Finally, I could sing…..through the years I continued to sing that song until age caused the high notes to disappear.
One morning last week, while in that half-awake period, I began singing the Lord’s Prayer as if in a dream. Over and over, I sang until I was wide awake. It began as a dream and continued as I walked, repeating in my mind….Our Father. The message of the words zinged into my heart. Never before had I ‘heard’ the words so clearly. Never again will I see the Lord’s Prayer as something to say, but petitions and praise to pray from my heart.
  • Our Father, who art in Heaven – Our (inclusive) Father (daddy, Abba, Yaweh), who art in heaven (the abode of God and angels) – Isaiah 64:8a Still, God, you are our Father. We’re the clay and you’re our potter. Psalm 7:17 –

I’m thanking God, who makes things right. I’m singing the fame of heaven-high God

Yours and my Abba – in Heaven so far away…Yet His Presence is all around us each day.

  • Hallowed be thy Name – Hallowed (holy, sacred) be thy Name (appellation, designation) Luke 11:2 – He said to them, “When you pray, say: ” ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come

A name above all others, Omniscient, Omnipresent…Mighty and glorious, A sweet aroma He sent.

  • Thy kingdom come – Thy (your) kingdom (spiritual realm) I Corinthians – 15:24

    Then the end will come, when he

    hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has

    destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

A kingdom so vast that the universe….can not contain it or men can disburse it.

  • Thy will be done on earth – Thy will (your way, not mine) be done (completed) Luke 22:42 –

    
“Father, if you are willing,

    take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours

    be done.”

A kingdom without end, We will one day see….A righteous abode where no evil will be.

  • As it is in Heaven – As it is (continues to be with no cessation) in Heaven Psalm 52:9 –

    
I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

  • Give us this day our daily bread – Give (to present) us this day our daily (occurs each day) bread (staff of life) Job 23:12b –

    I have treasured the

    words of his mouth

    more

    than my daily bread

We ask for our needs, For we know You’ll provide… Even as You feed the sparrow, In You, we abide.

  • And forgive us our debts – And forgive (grant remission, pardon) us our debts (offense, sin, trespass) – 2 Corinthians 2:10a – If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him.

Only in your grace, can we forgive others….Jesus’ blood creates family, and we forgive our brothers.

  • As we forgive our debtors – As (ongoing) we forgive our debtors (owing obligation) Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
  • And lead us not into temptation – And lead (guide, show the way) us not into temptation (enticement, allurement) Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will ot fall into temptation The spirit is willing but the body is weak.

Help us, Lord, to know Your will, And listen to your voice so still….Let it guide me to your side, In You let me hide.

  • But deliver us from evil – But deliver (save, release) us from evil (wicked, immoral, harmful)

All about us is sin, Alluring enticement….Through Jesus’ blood is forgiveness, Heaven-sent.

  • For thine is the kingdom – For thine (that which belongs) is the kingdom Psalm 45:6 – Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice shall be the scepter of your kingdom.

Above all powers – your kingdom reigns…..the joy of certainty of evil slain.

  • And the power and the glory forever – And the power (strength, might, authority) and the glory (honor, praise) forever(without end, eternal) — Psalm 66:3 – Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.

Psalm 9:7 – The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.

Forever more and all eternity, Is His strength and authority, We voices we raise, We give you praise.

  • Amen – (So it is, truly) — Psalm 89:52 – Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen

The angels sing and shout as they gather about….Truly we worship again and again, shouting Amen and Amen

Comments? eacombs@eacombs@cox.net