Prayer

Give Us Today.

Give us today our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11

 

KNOCK KNOCK:  

Sawyer, my 4-year old, and I had a lunch date this week.  After withstanding 90 minutes in Verizon watching mom reconnect with America again, he was rewarded with choosing the spot.  Pasta (Bravo)?  Rice (PF Changs)? or Hamburgers (Burgatory)?  Dreaming of his dad’s paella, he chose rice and the two of us sat dwarfed in a booth for 6, while trying to pretend we’re used to air-conditioning and weren’t ready to lay down for a jet-lag nap on our comfy bench.

When that big plate of perfectly chicken fried rice was delivered, Sawyer asked to pray.  As we closed our eyes I waited to hear “God is great”, the rhyme he loves to bolt out whenever given the chance.  Instead, his sweet tiny voice began to whisper:

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”  after reciting the entire Lord’s Prayer he looked up at me to smile.  I was overcome (and then went crazy kissing his little face).  He’d never said a single sentence on his own before, but here he was, leading me through the whole thing.

KNOCK KNOCK:  

Two weeks ago, we were in Barcelona, Spain, visiting my favorite European landmark, the Sagrada Familia.  It’s an incredible church designed by Gaudi in 1983.  While sitting in the back row of its massive annex, I felt a
“nudge” and turned to the boys to ask if we could hold hands here and say the “Our Father” together.  (For the full picture, I’ll admit we had a few false starts, as Brenner kept sneaking in a little minecraft, but we got there in the end)

Afterwards, I took a solitary walk around the building and found myself sitting down in a secluded corner to watch the end of a documentary about the architecture of this incredible space.  The narrator began talking about a door called “The Glory façade”, and, as he explained the beauty behind the 20 years it took to carve this massive feature out of bronze, he began to recite the raised phrases carved into it…  Which is, in fact, The Lord’s Prayer:

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When I returned to the seats where I’d left the boys, I realized the display for this door was sitting squarely behind us as we unknowingly and spontaneously fumbled through its words, only moments before.

KNOCK KNOCK: 

While sitting in traffic today a song came on the radio that has a kind of “stake in the ground” in my heart.  When Steve and I were married, 15 years ago, we asked our parents to join us at the alter and pray that, no matter what, our focus in life would always come down to knowing and depending on the Father foremost.  During that intimate moment, we had the simple worship song  “Breathe” sung in the background, with its lyrics bringing our hearts cry home:

This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me

This is my daily bread
your very word spoken to me

I’m desperate for you
I’m lost without you

When my ears recognized the tune today, I began to cry instantly… Something in my spirit FINALLY got through to my head.

Because, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”  Revelation 3:20  This scripture is about more than inviting Christ into your heart to stay.  I’ve done that, but He still stands there, locked out and knocking somedays.  And, all too often, I’m not available to answer.

See, I’m exhausted.  This week I’ve walked into 17 victorian homes that don’t make me want to nestle in for Christmas morning, they make me want to run for the hills and never look back.  And I’ve daily fought traffic for an hour each way to take my 6-year old to a summer camp in an area that doesn’t seem to have a house for us.  The life I pictured in America feels impossibly out of reach.  Not to mention, I need culture re-entry training before my brain explodes.  I’m a mess.

But a few months ago I began leaning into The Lord’s Prayer.  I’ve known it since childhood, but I’d never really used it (or valued it) in my life, which is ironic since Jesus specifically said, “This, then, is how you should pray” Matthew 6:9.  Lately though, I’ve thought a lot about the power that surely resides in the specific words Christ gave us to reach the heart of the Father.  But I hadn’t considered what it is I’m asking for in light of the circumstances (and frustrations) I face today – right now.

“Give us this day our Daily Bread.”

I’ve prayed for that…  exactly that, over and over.  “Give me THIS DAY my DAILY bread.”

And guess what God is doing?  Answering.

Every.  Single.  Day.

Brenner’s in a summer camp with kids he instantly loved.  We’re living in my parents’ beautiful home enjoying their great hospitality and watching my children fall deeply in love with their Nana and Papa for the first time (long-time dreams coming true).  I’m cooking quesadillas for my sister and her insanely gorgeous four little girls.  And, as you know, I’m eating at PF Changs (worth a shout out) and talking to anyone I like – in English.

I’m cared for – today.  Lavishly.  The bread on my table, right now, is incredible.  But instead of enjoying it, I’m asking God “WHERE ARE YOU?  DID YOU FORGET ABOUT ME?”.  While He’s standing right here, knocking and knocking.

I’ve been writing lately about trusting, being brave, and stepping outside of our comfort zone.  I’ll tell you what, it’s hard to do those things on the kind of scale that we tend to live our lives (5 years into the future).  But doing those things TODAY.. Guess what?  Jesus knew what He was talking about.  And He was setting us up for success in our endeavors when he gave us this prayer.  We think we need answers for the future in order to trust Him for today, but this is being a backwards follower.  This is not the formula we’ve been given to follow, and yet we wonder why we feel so lost so much of the time.

Could be He’s standing at your door knocking right now.  Come on, shimmy over there and let the man in already!  His poor hand’s about to fall off…

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom
and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13

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  • Candace June 22, 2015 at 4:15 pm

    “Come on, shimmy over there and let the man in already! His poor hand’s about to fall off…” bwahahahahahaha! Praying for you dear friend!

  • Erica June 22, 2015 at 4:26 pm

    Truth = “And He was setting us up for success in our endeavors when he gave us this prayer. We think we need answers for the future in order to trust Him for today, but this is being a backwards follower.” Meditating on this prayer today…and the truth of your words. Thank you!

  • Maureen June 22, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    Powerful truth! Thank you for sharing…this is worth reflecting on.

  • Rachel June 23, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    One day at a time 🙂

  • Kristan Spear June 25, 2015 at 3:08 am

    I love your transparency! Thank you for sharing your life with all of us who so love reading your weekly blog!