Scary Prayer

In many of our churches, including the one I serve, we pray the Lord's Prayer every week.

But are we really praying it? Or do we just say it?

I think if we really prayed the words, took them too heart, we might be too afraid to give voice to this prayer.

Our Father,

Who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation

But deliver us from evil.

Which part of that prayer scares you the most?

This weekend, for me, it was that "forgive those who trespass against us" part. That's hard. That's really hard. And so often I hurry past that part of the prayer, not really thinking about it. But with lots on my mind this week, I heard myself praying those words out loud in a way I'd never heard before, and it brought me up short.

Forgive me my trespasses...those times I've stepped out of bounds, those times I've crossed over the line, those times I've invaded someone else's space...that's what "trespass" means. Other translations put it as "sins" or "debts." Any of those translations are good ones, but I prefer trespass because it's a lot more broad. I can narrowly define "sin" or "debt." Trespass is harder to narrow down. It reminds me that I need to be forgiven of a lot more things than I think I do.

AND...then there's the kicker. Forgive me, God...as I forgive others. Not before. As. During. At the same time as. To the same measure as. Forgive me, God...up to the point that I am willing to forgive those who do the same things to me that I have done to them. As. It's a small little word in the English language, but it packs a wallop of a punch.

Forgive me...as.

When I hear that word, really hear it, it's even harder to dismiss my own sin, because those things that other person did toward me—I've done similar things to others. You have, too. And we all dare to ask God to, even (dare I say?) command God to forgive us...as.

Talk about scary prayer!

If we really believe this, we wouldn't be able to pray the Lord's Prayer all the way through without being completely broken.

And I think that's probably just what Jesus intended.