prayer – Page 17 – 300 words a day

your kingdom

There are many debates about what the kingdom of heaven means in Matthew, about when it starts, about what Jesus means when he says “repent because the Kingdom is at hand.” I wonder why we wonder so much? Why do we care so much about having exactly the right interpretation? Is is because we want […]

by Jon Swanson

we pray that your name will always be kept holy

I realize, Father, that I don’t know exactly what hallowed means. And so for all the years I’ve been praying this prayer, I’m not sure I understand, exactly. So does it mean that you want me to ask you to keep your name special and set apart? Does it mean that you want me to […]

by Jon Swanson

Our Father in heaven

For some people, the beginning of this prayer has to be rough. To start with, “our Father” brings horrible memories. And the thought, “if God is like that, then I’m not interested.” As I thought about this beginning, however, I realized that Jesus knew. Jesus knew that some men would be hopelessly cruel to their […]

by Jon Swanson

giving up and heads up (weekend)

This year, February 25 in the church calendar is Ash Wednesday. It is the beginning of the season of Lent, a period that ends with Easter. Lent is an old word that means spring. If you had to pick a phrase that best captures what people think of Lent it’s this: giving up. Not as […]

by Jon Swanson

so why do we have to ask

[Matthew 6:7-8] Sometimes I know exactly what our kids need. I can look ahead and know that they will be in that situation and will need that solution. I know it. But I may not tell them. Sometimes they decide to ask ahead of time. We can take care of their need. Sometimes they come […]