Wesley Church

People Blessing People

Devotional February 15, 2021

9 “Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
        hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
        Your will be done,
                 on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
         as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
         but rescue us from the evil one.

-Matthew 6:9-13, NRSV

I learned the words before I could even read the words. I learned the words in the most organic way possible: by listening to the people of my church talk to God, one week after another. I liked the way those prayerful words sounded. I liked the rhythm of the “s” sounds when they recited the words “trespasses” and “trespass against us.” I listened to the lilt of those “s” sounds week after week after week. That’s how I learned how to pray the words of the Lord’s Prayer. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 

I prayed those words countless times throughout my ministry. In different settings, in different churches, amongst those who prayed in different languages, I prayed:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 

I prayed those words countless times throughout my ministry. In different settings, in different churches, aThen came the era of social distancing, the era of online worship, the era of COVID-19. Suddenly, the words sounded strange to my ear. I knew them by heart. I’d known them for years. I’d prayed those familiar words a thousand times. And yet suddenly, I found myself losing my place in the familiar words of the familiar prayer. It’s a prayer meant for community, after all; that’s why we begin with the words “Our Father.” Now, the community was scattered, and the comparative silence was strange and jarring. I could no longer hear the people of my church pray the words:mongst those who prayed in different languages, I prayed:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 

One Sunday in November, we reopened our doors for RSVP in-person worship. For the first time in months, the voices of the faithful joined with mine. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as together, we prayed the familiar words: 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 

Yesterday, for the first time in almost a year, my daughter sat beside me in Sunday morning worship. I heard her pray the words she had learned the same way I did — by overhearing the people of her church talking to God. I held my breath and listened as she stumbled over the words:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 

For months, I didn’t realize how much I longed to hear others say the words with me.
For years, I didn’t realize how much of a privilege it was to say the words in audible community.
I promise you this, church: I’ll never take it for granted again.

And remember, friends:

Our God is bigger than coronavirus. 
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too. 
We are people blessing people. 
We are Wesley Church.   

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