Whose Servants Are We?

Jesus told those bound by religious duty, “Do not be ones who go through the rituals.” Prayer offered to be seen by others, and the hypocrisy behind it, does nothing to bring a person closer to God. Instead, he told them to go into their room, shut the door, and pray honestly.

The Lord’s Prayer is not a form of words Jesus gave to be recited as it stands; it is a pattern for prayer. To ask that God’s name be hallowed is to ask that the atonement of the cross be accomplished. The very name Yahweh carries the meaning “behold the hand, behold the nail”, and the first letters of the four words on the sign above the cross spell out that name.

The order is to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and only then to ask for daily bread and the forgiveness of sins. Those who chase after money come to ruin, while those who pursue Jesus Christ find that money comes after them instead. Whether to be a servant of the world or a servant of Christ is a choice to be made every day.