You have great power!  But do you use it?

   How do you know that you have great power?  Well, are you baptized?  If you are baptized, you an adopted son or daughter of God!  This not only sounds good, but it is a great reality that we hardly live out.  If only we had a prayer that spoke to that reality and helped us to live it out.  And we do!

   In the Lord’s Prayer/Our Father, we recognize God as Our Heavenly Father.  We ask that this reality be made manifest “on earth as it is in Heaven”.  And then, we ask Our Heavenly Father to take care of us.  And what does the Lord’s Prayer require of us?  Honoring God’s name (“hallowed be thy name”), living by His Kingdom (“Thy Kingdom come”), aligning our will with His (“Thy Will be done”), and forgiving others (“we forgive those who trespass against us”).

   That seems like a tall task.  So let’s look at some of the blessings that Our Heavenly Father will provide for us in return as Jesus told us.  He will provide for us (“Give us this day, our daily bread”).  He will forgive us (“forgive us our trespasses”).  He will guide us (“lead us not into temptation”).  And He will protect us (“deliver us from evil”).

   Those are great, but are they the source of “great power”?  Indeed, they are!  Just think of being protected by the God of the Universe.  And will He provide for us just barely what we need?  No, being the most loving of Fathers, He will provide us much more.  But our biggest issue remains.  We must live our lives as if He is Our Father.  You cannot expect Him to do His fatherly duties if your life rejects His Fatherhood.

   We must live the Lord’s Prayer!  Honoring God’s name, living by His Kingdom, aligning our will with His, and forgiving others.  And if we do, there will be great power within us.  In this case, you can really brag that your Father is bigger.

   Jesus, help us to live the prayer You gave us, so as to receive the full blessings God the Father wants to bestow upon us.  Amen.