Day 226: Our Father

 

DAY 226

                              Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic                     

A series of daily reflections for people of faith

by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland

pastorrobert@paxpres.org

Week Thirty-three    Monday 26 October 2020

Our Father

Hymn text and tune by

Martin Luther, Reformer  1483-1546

1. Our Father, who from heav’n above has told us here to live in love,

And with our fellow Christians share our mutual burdens and our prayer,

Teach us no thoughtless word to say but from our inmost heart to pray.

2. Your name be hallowed. Help us Lord, in purity to keep your Word.

That to the glory of your name we walk before you free of blame.

Let no false teaching us pervert; all poor deluded souls convert.

3. Your kingdom come. Guard your domain and your eternal righteous reign.

The Holy Ghost enrich our day with gifts attendant on our way.

Break Satan’s pow’r, defeat his rage; preserve your Church from age to age.

4. Your gracious will on earth be done as it is done before your throne,

That patiently we may obey in good or bad times all you say.

Curb flesh and blood and ev’ry ill that sets itself against your will.  

5. Give us this day our daily bread and let us all be clothed and fed.

From warfare, rioting, and strife, disease and famine save our life

That we in honest peace may live, to care and greed no entrance give.

6. Forgive our sins, let grace outpour that they may trouble us more;

We too will gladly those forgive who harm us by the way they live.

Help us in each community to serve and love with unity.

7. Lead not into temptation, Lord, where our grim foe and all his horde

Would vex our souls on every hand. Help us resist, help us to stand

Firm in the faith, armed with your might; your Spirit give your children light.

8. Deliver us from evil days, from every dark and trying maze;

Redeem us from eternal death, console us when we yield our breath.

Give us at last a blessed end; receive our souls, O faithful friend.

9. Amen, that is, it shall be so. Make our faith strong that we may know

We need not doubt but shall receive all that we ask, as we believe.

On your great promise we lay claim. Our faith says amen in your name.

Reflective question: All these verses are prayers amplifying ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. Which of these verses/prayers speak most to you? Will you pray it daily until it breaks open within you?

Reflective Scripture: Read ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ in its larger teaching setting of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:5-15.