Walton-on-Thames

“Our Father, who art in heaven”, is what we Christians pray,

Making every nation and every person one with what we say.

We can talk to our creator God who exists in heaven about the ‘One World’ that we’re in,

But we must learn to believe it, receive it and share it; it’s with us that change must begin.

 

“hallowed be thy Name;” That Name can be found in almost every language,

Every culture and religion, looks beyond itself to a divinity with which to engage.

That divinity ‘honoured’ is acknowledged as having a direct influence upon each created being,

It is in responding personally with respect to the Divine that we develop God’s way of seeing.

 

“thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.” may be our pleading,

But to pray like this is to commit ourselves to God’s will as much as to living and breathing.

It’s easy with Jesus to summarise what is required, “Love God and Love your neighbour”.

But don’t go beyond the story of the ‘Good Samaritan’ to discover, “Who is my neighbour?”

 

“Give us this day our daily bread.”, can be personal or expressing a corporate concern,

In God’s one world, we face huge issues relating to climate change as we are beginning to learn.

But as Marcus Rashford’s appeal for every British child’s breakfast touched many a heart,

Let us expand our world view, not reducing aid, but growing our vision, to reach every part.

 

“And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” how glibly we say,

But even at Christmas we find it hard to be the first to say sorry without the others being made to pay.

So, first we let God forgive us our failures through the cross of Christ Jesus on ‘a green hill far away’,

And then we extend God’s forgiveness to those quite near who have hurt us on this and every day.

 

“And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” We claim,

But even two prayers repeated do not absolve us from blame.

I’m led astray usually, by the desires of my heart,

Blaming the devil puts his horse before my cart.

 

“For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.” is distorted by images of Royalty.

But can be restored by allegiance to the ‘Reign of God and by our living under His ‘Reign’ with true Loyalty.

Amen, Amen, Amen, = So be it, so be it, so be it! Our affirmation leads into renewed commitment.

We, as Methodists, are reminded annually in our historic New Year Covenant Service of:

God’s commitment to us and Our commitment to God.