WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
July 25th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 11:1-13
“Why This Prayer”
Prayer –
At the time of the reformation few people could read. As a result most were at the mercy of those who were educated and had power. Most religious education came through rote memory. The early reformers recognized that the church had moved away from what they understood as the basic message of the bible. As a result, the first order of business was to educate people so that they could have access to the teachings of the faith rather than rely on the word of someone else.
Part of the basic foundation of that education was indeed the bible. To teach the basic message of the bible often included the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. And, to teach people how to pray, the Lord’s Prayer was used. The use of this prayer with the reformers was about teaching the basics, the foundation for prayer. They were not interested in simple memorization. Given that most religious language was not in the common language of the area, the reformers were often concerned about words spoken in worship for which little thought was given.
As the Reformation spread, the Lord’s Prayer began to be translated in the common language wherever it travelled. As it spread the prayer took on many different forms and styles. However, the basic message remained the same. We are invited to pray to a God who wants to be in relationship with human beings. We are called to pray that the current arrangement of injustice of the world come to an end. We are called to pray for our basic needs and that we will travel the right way.
I have been looking at the many different forms of this prayer. Since the inception of the Anglican/Episcopal tradition there have been six English different versions, three since the founding of our country alone. While the language of the prayer has changed the basic message which Jesus shared with his disciples remains the same. And within the reform tradition the most important issue is that people come to understand the importance of and the ways in which we can pray.
Despite this essential message many of our churches continue to use the Kings James English. What we are now using in worship is a version of the prayer known as the ecumenical version. The purpose of this change is not simply for change sake or to change a prayer that has come to have deep meaning for many. However, as people of the reform faith, we must always be looking for ways to live out our calling to share the gospel so that all might hear in their own language.
For those in our midst for whom English is not the first language it is not uncommon to pray this prayer in their mother tongue. And while we use debts and debtors some people use sins and others trespass. What is the right way to pray this prayer? Well, if we begin to ossify our use of this prayer around language and not on message then we have missed the point. But seeking to use language that is common to our time we are living out the best of our reformed heritage.
In the search for more contemporary versions I was struck by two. The first one comes from Eugene Peterson’s the Message. It goes like this: “Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil." Another comes from the Good News bible which reads:
Father: May your holy name be honored; may your Kingdom come. Give us day by day the food we need. Forgive us our sins, for we forgive everyone who does us wrong. And do not bring us to hard testing.
Each of these prayers is rather basic and work well in versions from which they come. You might even find they would be a welcome addition to your own prayer life. Or, you may not like these versions at all. That is the beauty of personal prayer. If the use of thy and thou is an important part of your spiritual journey and if praying to God only as a Father is as well, let it continue to be so. However, in worship the printed version will continue with the ecumenical version and will be simply a guide to your prayer.
This fall we will have the opportunity to study prayer more deeply through a small group opportunity. Following the session retreat, there was a clear desire and need in the life of the church to encourage and to teach prayer. If you are interested in learning more or if you have a hunger to go deeper in your prayer life, or if you simply are unsure of the point of prayer at all, this opportunity is for you. If you enjoyed the fellowship and time of sharing of the small groups with our study of Unbinding the Gospel then you will really love this fall small group. Keep an eye out for more details in the next couple of weeks. And until then, continue to pray the prayer that Jesus taught. Amen.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Real Humility
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
July 4th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
2 Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
“Real Humility”
I have a great deal of admiration for the character of Naaman. That might seem strange since the easy thing to do is to make dispersions on this General who needs a lesson in humility. But before going after Naaman we must first admit that we all have our blind spots. We all are in need of a lesson in humility that is probably connected to our need for healing in body, mind or spirit. And, like Naaman, it is often our own arrogance and lack of insight which keeps us from the healing we do desperately seek.
Since this is a story about healing, I want to take a moment and talk about healing. When I speak of healing, I do not assume this means cure. Some of us face brokenness in our lives, in mind body and spirit, for which there is no cure. However, there is always healing to be found. That may seem like a contradiction. However, the stories of people facing terminal illness who have found healing are many. It is that kind of healing of which I speak.
Naaman is a great general and someone who God holds in high regard. This is something of an oddity because he is a general in the army of Israel’s sworn enemies. Naaman is an outsider and an enemy to the community of God’s faithful. Naaman is also an outsider in his own country. Though he is a great general he is socially unacceptable because of a skin disease. So he understands about living in two worlds. Despite knowing something of life as an outsider, Naaman has much to learn about the ways of God. As a people who live in this time and place our own needs are not so different.
The healing of Naaman is a contrast of stories. It is a contrast between the ways of kings and generals and the ways of God. Naaman understands the ways of kings and generals. However, Naaman is wise enough, or maybe desperate enough, to listen to the voice of a slave girl. Not one person in his country nation can bring him healing, but this slave understands the wisdom and power of God. She knows of a wilderness prophet who can heal and do great things. However, despite listening to this slave girl, Naaman does not listen long enough. As a result, Naaman follows the wisdom of kings and generals and is off fix the problem. And it is this lack of fully listening that nearly creates an international incident.
Naaman follows proper protocol and seeks permission to cross the border from his King. The king sends Naaman with the proper credentials and a letter to the king. These are the actions of those of understand the ways of the experts; those with special training, degrees, and power. Kings, Generals, experts, and other credentialed folk never listen to the likes of a slave girl. This is why Naaman only listens to part of the wisdom found in the voice of the un-credentialed. His actions nearly start an international incident when the King of Israel turns out not to be the healer. If Naaman had bothered to fully listen to this slave girl, he would have learned that the prophets of God are not at the beck and call of the king.
Fortunately, for the King of Israel, and the great general, the prophets of God always keep a close eye on the ways of kings and generals. That is how it always works. The people on the margins and the people who are invisible to the people of power – servers, farm workers, dishwashers, custodians, and others, often know more about the people of power than the people of power know of themselves. As a result, Elisha is able to send word that he knows what to do so everyone can calm down. But this is not the end of the story.
Elisha does not come to the places of power. He only sends word that the great general will have to make his way to the wilderness. Still operating out of the ways of the credentialed, Naaman follows protocol and has his servants pack up the gifts and proper treasures to provide it to the man of healing. When the great General finally arrives with all the pomp and ceremony ready for healing, the prophet of God does not even come out to greet him. In the land of kings and generals, this is a personal affront. How dare this wilderness prophet refuse to pray proper deference to the general? After all, being treated with deference is always expected by those who have the proper credentials and degrees. However, God does not work this way. With God, wisdom and healing seldom resides with the degreed and credentialed. Fortunately, Naaman has lived just enough of his life and an outsider not to walk away.
Once again, it is not the kings and generals who know. The unnamed aids of the general point out that it is possible that this wilderness prophet might bring healing through this dirty little river. And that is just what happens. In that little river, the great general Naaman finds healing, for his skin disease and for his arrogance. Falling at the feet of Elisha, who finally greats him face to face, Naaman proclaims faith in the God of Israel. It is a powerful scene of transformation. It is true that God can bring healing even when faced with the hubris of kings and generals.
This is not a story of happily ever after where the healed general will return home and transform his country into the faith of Israel’s God. Instead, we see a general who will return to a land where he will be expected to worship and serve other Gods. By taking some dirt back, Naaman will be able to be reminded of the healing he found and by which God his healing came. The dirt will serve as a reminder that the ways of God often come through slave girls, wilderness prophets, and nameless aids. This newly healed General will have to learn to walk in two worlds and it will not be easy. And maybe, just maybe, the next time an un-credentialed person has something to say, he will fully listen before dismissing what is being said.
I am convinced that we are each of us, like Naaman. We are a people who live in one culture and live a faith that is in contrast to much of the dominant culture. Today we are called to sign patriotic songs and that is fine as long as we never forget that we too live another and more powerful story. We are sent to be like lambs among wolves. And as such we will need to work hard to listen to and provide space for the un-credentialed to speak. We will have to give witness to the fact that our faith teaches forgiveness and the theme of our society is retribution, and that our faith teaches that we should pray for our enemies and our society says torture them. If anyone needed to live with a jar of dirt in our pockets it is us. So stand up and give thanks for this country but remember that God works beyond its borders and that wisdom will come even from our enemies. When we reach that place we, like Naaman with find a new and deep confidence that comes from recognizing that our power comes from a God who asks for humility. It might just be our only path to real healing. Amen? Amen.
July 4th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
2 Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
“Real Humility”
I have a great deal of admiration for the character of Naaman. That might seem strange since the easy thing to do is to make dispersions on this General who needs a lesson in humility. But before going after Naaman we must first admit that we all have our blind spots. We all are in need of a lesson in humility that is probably connected to our need for healing in body, mind or spirit. And, like Naaman, it is often our own arrogance and lack of insight which keeps us from the healing we do desperately seek.
Since this is a story about healing, I want to take a moment and talk about healing. When I speak of healing, I do not assume this means cure. Some of us face brokenness in our lives, in mind body and spirit, for which there is no cure. However, there is always healing to be found. That may seem like a contradiction. However, the stories of people facing terminal illness who have found healing are many. It is that kind of healing of which I speak.
Naaman is a great general and someone who God holds in high regard. This is something of an oddity because he is a general in the army of Israel’s sworn enemies. Naaman is an outsider and an enemy to the community of God’s faithful. Naaman is also an outsider in his own country. Though he is a great general he is socially unacceptable because of a skin disease. So he understands about living in two worlds. Despite knowing something of life as an outsider, Naaman has much to learn about the ways of God. As a people who live in this time and place our own needs are not so different.
The healing of Naaman is a contrast of stories. It is a contrast between the ways of kings and generals and the ways of God. Naaman understands the ways of kings and generals. However, Naaman is wise enough, or maybe desperate enough, to listen to the voice of a slave girl. Not one person in his country nation can bring him healing, but this slave understands the wisdom and power of God. She knows of a wilderness prophet who can heal and do great things. However, despite listening to this slave girl, Naaman does not listen long enough. As a result, Naaman follows the wisdom of kings and generals and is off fix the problem. And it is this lack of fully listening that nearly creates an international incident.
Naaman follows proper protocol and seeks permission to cross the border from his King. The king sends Naaman with the proper credentials and a letter to the king. These are the actions of those of understand the ways of the experts; those with special training, degrees, and power. Kings, Generals, experts, and other credentialed folk never listen to the likes of a slave girl. This is why Naaman only listens to part of the wisdom found in the voice of the un-credentialed. His actions nearly start an international incident when the King of Israel turns out not to be the healer. If Naaman had bothered to fully listen to this slave girl, he would have learned that the prophets of God are not at the beck and call of the king.
Fortunately, for the King of Israel, and the great general, the prophets of God always keep a close eye on the ways of kings and generals. That is how it always works. The people on the margins and the people who are invisible to the people of power – servers, farm workers, dishwashers, custodians, and others, often know more about the people of power than the people of power know of themselves. As a result, Elisha is able to send word that he knows what to do so everyone can calm down. But this is not the end of the story.
Elisha does not come to the places of power. He only sends word that the great general will have to make his way to the wilderness. Still operating out of the ways of the credentialed, Naaman follows protocol and has his servants pack up the gifts and proper treasures to provide it to the man of healing. When the great General finally arrives with all the pomp and ceremony ready for healing, the prophet of God does not even come out to greet him. In the land of kings and generals, this is a personal affront. How dare this wilderness prophet refuse to pray proper deference to the general? After all, being treated with deference is always expected by those who have the proper credentials and degrees. However, God does not work this way. With God, wisdom and healing seldom resides with the degreed and credentialed. Fortunately, Naaman has lived just enough of his life and an outsider not to walk away.
Once again, it is not the kings and generals who know. The unnamed aids of the general point out that it is possible that this wilderness prophet might bring healing through this dirty little river. And that is just what happens. In that little river, the great general Naaman finds healing, for his skin disease and for his arrogance. Falling at the feet of Elisha, who finally greats him face to face, Naaman proclaims faith in the God of Israel. It is a powerful scene of transformation. It is true that God can bring healing even when faced with the hubris of kings and generals.
This is not a story of happily ever after where the healed general will return home and transform his country into the faith of Israel’s God. Instead, we see a general who will return to a land where he will be expected to worship and serve other Gods. By taking some dirt back, Naaman will be able to be reminded of the healing he found and by which God his healing came. The dirt will serve as a reminder that the ways of God often come through slave girls, wilderness prophets, and nameless aids. This newly healed General will have to learn to walk in two worlds and it will not be easy. And maybe, just maybe, the next time an un-credentialed person has something to say, he will fully listen before dismissing what is being said.
I am convinced that we are each of us, like Naaman. We are a people who live in one culture and live a faith that is in contrast to much of the dominant culture. Today we are called to sign patriotic songs and that is fine as long as we never forget that we too live another and more powerful story. We are sent to be like lambs among wolves. And as such we will need to work hard to listen to and provide space for the un-credentialed to speak. We will have to give witness to the fact that our faith teaches forgiveness and the theme of our society is retribution, and that our faith teaches that we should pray for our enemies and our society says torture them. If anyone needed to live with a jar of dirt in our pockets it is us. So stand up and give thanks for this country but remember that God works beyond its borders and that wisdom will come even from our enemies. When we reach that place we, like Naaman with find a new and deep confidence that comes from recognizing that our power comes from a God who asks for humility. It might just be our only path to real healing. Amen? Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)