Loving God, you invite us into a relationship with you and call us to spend time in your presence through prayer. Reveal yourself to us during these times, and fill our hearts with the Spirit of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

You know, you've gotta love Abraham as he bargains and negotiates with God in our first reading today from Genesis (18:20-32). What an interesting relationship they have! Abraham seems to be trying to discover what God would or would not do. Surely you wouldn't destroy it, Lord, would you, if there are 50 righteous people there? Surely you wouldn't sweep away the righteous with the wicked. Far be it from you! And then Abraham asks about 45 righteous people, and then 40, and then 30, and then 20, and he finally haggles God down to 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah. And God replies, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."

Part of what is interesting in this whole conversation with God is how Abraham both approaches and perceives God. The impression we get is of somebody approaching a king or a ruler with a request - fearful that the king might get angry at any moment and throw out a lightning bolt or something. Abraham makes it clear that he is but dust and ashes - he is acting very boldly in speaking, but he is going to do it anyways. At the same time, he continually asks God not to be angry with him for speaking and asking about these things.

What a contrast this is to what Jesus has to teach us about prayer and about our relationship with God. Just in today's gospel from Luke (11:1-13), God is presented as our Father, our Daddy, our parent and our friend. Jesus teaches, Those of you who are parents - you know how to give good gifts to your children, don't you? - Well, how much more does God know how to give good gifts to you - and especially the Holy Spirit! A friend and neighbour might be shameless and refuse to help you in the middle of the night, but really - do you think God would ignore your requests for help? Jesus teaches us never to be afraid to ask, and to come to God as our loving and caring Heavenly Father.

It is unfortunate that for some people God has become a tyrant in their minds, often due to their experiences with earthly fathers. Some have tried to deal with this by changing the language that we use to refer to God. Others have focussed more on the feminine images for God that are to be found in the Scriptures. Yet, regardless of the images that we have in our minds for God or the language which we personally use to address God, there is no doubt that Jesus addressed God as Abba - Daddy - Father. This is also the language which is used in the communal prayer which has come to us from the Scriptures, known to us as the Lord's Prayer.

I'd like to share with you a prayer this morning that is written by Catherine Foote which reflects upon what it means to call God "Daddy."

Daddies hold their babies,
daddies hold them soft.
Strong daddy arms hold babies up
and gentle is the hold.

Daddies laugh with babies,
daddies smile with love.
Warm daddy eyes meet new eyes
and easy is the laugh.

Daddies care for babies,
keep them covered safe.
Big daddy hands reach baby hands
and tender is the care.

Daddies and their babies,eyes and arms and smiles and love.
Then a daddy hurt a baby
Baby cold with fear,
Baby crying new tears,
Baby frightened, lost.
No more smiles for baby,
No more shelter here.

And God, they call you Daddy,
God, they say you care.
Do you hold your babies?
Do you dry their tears?
Do you match them smile for smile?
Do you shelter safe?

God, that daddy stole your name.
God, that daddy made me mad.
God, I want a daddy back
(daddies hold their babies).
God, please daddy me.
Amen. (Survivor Prayers: Talking with God about Childhood Sexual Abuse, pp. 44-45)
[http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/luke11x1.htm ]

It is an intimate and caring relationship into which we are invited with God. Yet, how many of us still approach God as if he is the stern and angry judge and king whom Abraham approached? How many of us think that our language in prayer needs to be formal and archaic, using lots of "thee's and thou's"? How many of us know that "thee" and "thou" would have been used for a close friend in old English?

Those of you who know French, or possibly other languages, will know that there are two ways to say "you" - either tu or vous. Tu is the familiar form, used with a close friend or with somebody who is younger. Vous is the more formal form. In the same way, in King James English, thee or thou would be used to address a close friend. However, "you" would be used to address a stranger. This is a distinction which we no longer make in English. So if we don't address our friends as "thee" and "thou", why do we think that we need to address God that way? The meaning of the language has been lost, leading many people to believe that they don't know the right language for prayer.

Yet, God knows our language, and God knows our heart, and God invites us into a relationship with him - a relationship that grows through prayer. Sometimes our prayers will be heartfelt, spoken words. Sometimes our prayers will be sighs too deep for words. Sometimes our prayers will be sitting in silence in the presence of God. Sometimes our prayers will be awareness of the presence of God as we work. And sometimes our prayers will be written by somebody else - like, for example, the Lord's Prayer.

Now why, do you suppose, was this particular prayer given to us? Why does Jesus teach his disciples to pray for these specific things? Let's stop and think for a moment about what we are actually saying in this prayer.

First of all there is the parent-child relationship with God of which we have already spoken. Hallowed be your name - Isn't this really a prayer that all people would revere God and worship God? God's name is holy, but it is us human beings who need to recognize God as God! And then, God's kingdom coming - God's will being done - these things follow from the reverence and worship of all people. Really, we are praying that all people would know God.

Give us each day our daily bread - This is more a reminder for us than it is a request to God. As Martin Luther reminds us, God already gives all that is needed to all people. However, in this prayer we are reminded where our daily bread comes from, as well as all that we need from day to day. We are reminded of what we have already received and are led to give thanks.

In "forgive us our sins," what we are asking is fairly obvious. We are reminded that we stand before God as sinners who are in need of forgiveness. Yet, it seems to be that other part of the prayer that gives people a little trouble - that little part about forgiving others. The interesting thing is that in all three ancient versions of the Lord's Prayer, we are not asked to forgive sins, but to forgive debts. We are asking that God would forgive us as we forgive the debts that others owe to us. Either way, it would seem that as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are not to keep score, but rather to live with an attitude of forgiveness toward others.

Finally - save us from the time of trial. This is not temptation but testing. We learn from the Scriptures that God tempts no one (Jas. 1:13). However, people are occasionally tested in order to learn their character and their abilities. We are asking that we would be saved during those times of testing and not allowed to fall under the power of evil.

Is not Jesus asking us to pray for the things that are the most important? Is he not also teaching us through this prayer? - Jesus has taught us to pray and has also revealed to us the character of God. Let us then approach with confidence the one who loves us and who has redeemed us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lectionary 17(C) Luke 11:1-13
July 29, 2007 Genesis 18:20-32
St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

? 2007 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved