After watching a film on Amazon Prime called The Coming Convergence, I had to re-think my attitude about what has been 2020-2021 - or 20 and 21, as I now think of the period.
When the pandemic hit, a lot of us were stunned at how fast life could go from bad to worse. People in some countries are used to severe hardship. There are places where it's the norm to be without an adequate food supply, water, basic items for personal care and grooming, and so many of the things we Americans take not only for granted but for our natural-born right. All my life I have seen those photos of starving babies in other parts of the world. When our local stores ran out of toilet paper and bottled water, I almost began contemplating what the end of the world would be like.
As things have gone on since the beginning of this "global crisis" we are currently in, I have worried. I worried about my personal health and safety. When the country put itself under attack by citizens divided by race and politics, I grew disheartened.
For the first time in my 50 plus - okay 60 - years, I got a taste of just how wearying life must be for people in countries who have always known war or hunger or danger from within.
And, of course, as a Christian, I reminded myself to pray but I have realized that I was praying for the wrong things. I have been praying for the pandemic to go away, for the world to return to "normal", and for my country to be somewhat reunited. What I was not doing was praying as the Lord taught.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
When I stopped to think about that, I went a little deeper. If I look at each line, I see that I have been praying my own way and wanting things to be better by my own standards. If I go back to the Lord's Prayer and look at each line, I see more clearly.
After this manner therefore pray ye:
The Lord himself showed us how and what to pray. So often, I have prayed my own way and for my own wants and needs. Long prayers that reflect me. Probably most of us Christians pray in the same way. 20 and 21 has shown what our prayers get us.
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Not, me or us or we, but our Father. While a lot of us wish for success and fame and renown - something to make our mortal lives somehow indelible and remembered immortally - it is the Lord's name that is holy and special and is to be revered. Not used to spice up our curses and make us sound witty and snappy.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
And this is the part I forgot about while I worried about what the pandemic could mean to our lives. The Lord's kingdom is coming. His will - his, not ours - will be done, here on earth. We can kick and scream and try to outsmart our way to live on other planets and in whatever dimensions we discover. We can build towers of science and medicine and technology until we run out of intelligence and materials to do so. The Lord's will is the endgame.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Not tomorrow's or next week's. You know, the "tomorrow" that might not come. While we are stockpiling for times that might never come for us, we forget the now. There are even Christian ministries selling people freeze-dried foods and survival gear for some unknown time to come. We worry so much about tomorrow that we forget to be grateful for today, for this very moment. We can find a million things to wish for without ever once saying Thank You, Father.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
This is a big fault of mine. Neglecting the command to forgive as I have been forgiven. Always thinking that there will be more time to "get around to" telling someone I love them. For letting go of grudges and slights. In this time when even those of us living in the most privileged nations have seen the pandemic take the lives of the young and healthy and most unlikely to die suddenly. In this past month, one family member has lost a friend in their forties and another has a best friend in their early thirties in a coma and on life support. And I can still forget that even if there are a lot more tomorrows left, they might not be left for me or my loved ones.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
Am I not still temped every moment of every day? Should I not, now more than ever, be asking for the Lord to deliver me from all the evil surrounding me?
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
The Lord's kingdom, His power, and His glory. Not mine or the world leaders, the scientists, doctors, billionaire wonders who are trying to conquer space and beyond.
Amen.
So be it. It will be. No matter what I want or how I live.
Understand that I'm not a Bible scholar. I just read and study my Bible and pray for understanding. These thoughts on the Prayer are my own observations and reminders to myself.
And that movie that I spoke of? It's just a reminder that we have been heading to this point and toward a conclusion from the very moment that Satan roamed through the Garden.
The movie is a take on the potential demise of the earth - as prophesied in the Bible. While some reviewers take issue with some of the specific details, the point is, the end of all this is prophesied.
Even if you take issue with the movie's details, there is no denying - even for the most secular among you - that the Bible prophesied where we have been and where we are headed. The wars we have endured - prophesied. The rise and fall of kingdoms, the trials tribulations, and startling revival of the Jewish people - prophesied.
If you lay out the prophecies of the Bible on one table and lay out secular history books on another, you can walk through the fulfillment of each one to this time in our recorded existence. What about the secular history yet to be noted? What about the days to come?
For anyone who has never taken a look at what the Bible has to say about what has been and what will be, this might be a good time to do so. For those of us who have taken a look, this might be a good time to live as is we believe. The other option is to live as if you don't believe or don't care. The fulfillment of the Bible and the Lord's will is not dependent on our belief or acceptance. Any gift can be refused. Any warning can be ignored.
For anyone wanting to accept the gift, it's simple. I copied this from a site that addresses many of the questions people have about Christianity.
This simple, yet profound, question is the most important question that can be asked. "How can I be saved?" deals with where we will spend eternity after our lives in this world are over. There is no more important issue than our eternal destiny. Thankfully, the Bible is abundantly clear on how a person can be saved. The Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). Paul and Silas responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
While we worry about our material possessions - our homes and cars - what about our souls? We plan for retirement and illness and our children's education. What about our souls?
If you don't have a Bible, there are free resources available online. There is the Blue Letter Bible, Bible Gateway (with an audio version), and eSword - which is what I use on my computer because of all the commentaries and dictionaries and the ability to journal and take notes. Those are just some of many. Or you can write to places to get a free copy. This is just one source I found while Googling "where to get a free copy of the Bible".
Please share the message of the Gospel - that Jesus lived then died for us and rose on the third day. Share with people as if it's the last chance you will be able to share it.
Peace
--Free
