Oh, man! Yesterday marked the end of a summer teaching series I was doing on the Lord’s Prayer, and I have GOT to say, “I’m going to miss that stuff.”
I know–it’s not like I need to tuck it away in a lock box. “You can use it anytime you want, Jason.” Yes, I know. But it’s the in-depth soaking that has done me a world of good this summer. And quite frankly, I’d be up for staying in this pool almost indefinitely.
And I suppose I shall.
An older spiritual mentor told me that in mid-life, his prayer patterns changed significantly. He gave real shape to them, even incorporating some middle-of-night practice. And he confessed to me that the Lord’s Prayer, those old and oft repeated words, played a large part in the focusing of his mind along the way. And I can see why.
They take thirty seconds to speak, and I’m not sure thirty years would be sufficient time to become all that these words force us to voice.
If your prayer life is in need of a boost, or a resusitation, let me be so-not-original: Go back to Jesus’ prayer. Use it throughout the day, recite it occasionally, re-phrase it in your own terms over and over, sit with single lines of it, and AMEN it as best as you know how.
You may be shocked at the power in those lines.
Beginning now, I’ve got two weeks off. Call them holidays. Call the paternity time. Call them away-from-work time.
If you’re a fan of memorable quotes, then you’ve likely come across G.K. Chesterton. Few writers have had more fun putting their words together for others to chew on.