Lenten Midweek 3 – March 6th, 2024
Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Paola, Kansas
Rev. Joshua Woelmer
Text: Matthew 6:7–15
“The Lord’s Prayer (How?)”
Theme: The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer that Jesus has given us to pattern our own prayers on.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Martin Luther supposedly told a wonderful story about prayer that goes like this: A bishop was riding through a small town on a noble steed when he stopped for refreshment and rest for his horse. He got into conversation with a man there in the town square. The man asked if he was a holy man. “Well yes,” said the bishop, “I pray at least three times a day.” The man smiled back and asked, “Are you up for a wager?” “I suppose,” said the Bishop, “over what?” “Oh, I wager you my twenty Thalers here for your horse if you could recite the Lord’s Prayer without any distractions.” The bishop eagerly accepted the challenge and began reciting the prayer. However, as he started, he found his mind wandering to twenty Thalers that he was about to gain. Frustrated by his inability to focus solely on the prayer, he admitted defeat and acknowledged that he could not accomplish the task, handing over his horse to the man.
I don’t think I’m the only one who has a problem of a wandering mind. Between devotions and visits, I probably pray this multiple times a day. Not every time is with the same focus like it should be. This is what can happen with things that are repeated over and over again. I’m sure you have had this happen to you too.
The answer to this problem is not to chuck these things out. Just because we have a sinful tendency to space out during parts of our liturgy doesn’t mean that they are now useless. If that were the case, we’d have to innovate every Sunday and have something new all the time. That actually does more damage to our youth and elderly who need repetition.
Let me put it another way: Husbands have a bad tendency of tuning out their wives. You could be paying attention to the TV or your work, and your wife asks you something, and you just say “uh huh.” Then, she asks you if you know what she just said, and you can’t remember it. Here’s the thing: wives, you can’t just get rid of your husbands if he does this. Husbands, it’s probably good and loving to pay better attention to your wives.
This is the same response to the Lord’s Prayer. It’s good that we have it memorized and can pray it often. We should kick our sinful selves when we find our minds wandering. Same thing with our liturgy—think about the words that you’re saying. They are there for a reason.
Let’s get to the Lord’s Prayer itself. There’s much more to this little prayer than one sermon can do it justice. I’ve already touched on the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer a few weeks ago with how we address God as “our Father.” There are seven petitions and then a conclusion. The conclusion, as you probably noticed, is not in the Bible, but was likely added sometime in the early or medieval church.
The seven petitions are just great. First, seven is a number of completeness—seven days in a week for example. The first three deal with God. You can call them the “Thy” petitions: Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, and Thy Will be done. All of these we pray would happen here on earth as they do in heaven.
What this teaches us about prayer is that we should first address God and recognize all that he is doing. Luther makes this clear when he says, “The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer” or “The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer,” but “we pray in this petition that it may come to or be done among us also.” These petitions teach us what God wants for our lives. He wants us to hallow His name by praying to Him. He wants us to recognize that He is ruling in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. In here is His kingdom. He wants us to recognize in our prayer that His will is always done.
The last four petitions could be called the “Our” petitions as we ask for things for our life. The middle petition is the fourth petition: Give us this day our daily bread. This petition is the only one that asks God for stuff. “Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body.” Luther has a whole list that includes health and good weather and so forth. Furthermore, we should note that Jesus includes “daily” twice. God wants us to focus on what God is giving us day by day and not be so obsessed with what we will get tomorrow or a year from now or in retirement. God provides for you like he provided manna in the wilderness: day by day.
Finally, there are three closing petitions. We pray for forgiveness, keeping us from temptation, and delivering us from evil. You could see these as prayers against your enemies of sin, the world, and the devil. You could also see it as asking God for protection. I think it’s actually helpful for Jesus to include these three petitions for us. So often our prayers are focused on the Fourth Petition, on things for this life. There are many things out there that we need greater protection from. We need forgiveness for our many sins. We need God to protect us from temptations and lead us through times of testing. We need God to deliver us from the evil one.
So, if you’ve gotten into a rut of letting your mind wander during the Lord’s Prayer, perhaps here’s a helpful thing. I know we’re used to closing our eyes during prayer, but perhaps lift your eyes up as you pray the first part of the Lord’s Prayer. Then lower them as you pray for daily bread. Close your eyes as you pray for the last three, then open them again for the conclusion, looking forward at the cross. Maybe that will help, maybe it won’t. Sometimes, I find it helpful to pray the Lord’s Prayer slower at home, thinking through each petition and what it means. That can help too. However you pray, know that this is a wonderful prayer worth memorizing and focusing on.
Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.
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