1st Meditation on The Lord's Prayer -- God's Glory
Introduction to The Lord’s Prayer.
To me, the Lord’s Prayer is the most important. If I could
only have one, that would be it. It is by far the one I cling to the most. I
understand that this is my personal opinion. Yet, it's a belief I've held close
throughout my life that has come to my aid time and again. As we take a deeper
dive into the Lord's Prayer, it is apparent that it isn't just any prayer. It's
more like a code of faith. Almost as if it were a magic instrument for
spiritual growth.
Some consider the Lord’s prayer a summary of the good news Jesus
taught. The Lord’s prayer is full of powers that help us. Think about the
meanings of every phrase because each one is put there for a reason. Repeating
and declaring the Lord’s prayer with emotion energizes us. It grounds us. It
revitalizes us. You can receive practical spiritual advice once you learn the
meaning behind what Jesus taught us in this prayer.
One way to begin is to recite this prayer from memory or
read it aloud, allowing it to resonate. The goal is to reach a point where you
feel the words in your entire being. What some might say, “in your bones.” When
you approach this prayer with a sincere heart, you will soon discover that it can truly serve as a guide to your spiritual journey. As you practice the use of The Lord’s
Prayer, it becomes a beacon. It helps give you hope. It allows you to light up
your faith with joy and inspiration. I suggest taking time for meditation and contemplation, using the Lord’s Prayer repeatedly.
I found that repeating the prayer at least 15 times raised
my consciousness. Using this practical ritual in my prayer room has invoked
transformative spiritual power. During my prayers, I may use the rosary beads
as a guide. This practice helps me maintain focus on the affirming nature of
the prayer and forget about the numerical count. I was inspired to adopt this
method after learning about the miracles performed by saints who repeatedly
recited the Lord’s Prayer. I invite you to try this, but also explore your unique
ways of experiencing its power.
When I recite The Lord’s Prayer, I make a series of
deliberate affirmations or declarations spoken with deep belief and emotion.
This personal connection to the prayer empowers and connects me to its transformative
power. Again, I find reciting the Lord's Prayer aloud is a powerful ritual that
enhances my affirmation and declaration. As I resonate with my voice, the
meaning starts to resonate with me.
Ultimately, the Lord’s prayer teaches and declares many
things Jesus knew we needed to be whole. Certainly, prosperity is one of them. I
like to think of it as a holy instruction manual. It’s concise and to the point and contains the spiritual and metaphysical laws that Jesus knew humanity
needed.
The first section of the Lord’s prayer
The first part of the Lord’s prayer concerns God's glory. Almost
half of this prayer is aligned with contemplating God’s great nature. We also
contemplate what Jesus taught us about God and affirm the Almighty's goodness
and benevolence. In this section, we also set the stage for our mental state,
which helps us prepare properly to pray to the Father. I will be focusing on
this section in this article.
Affirming the Lord’s prayer –
Let’s start with a solid foundation of understanding, which
is not mandatory but certainly helpful before emotionally declaring affirmations.
With understanding, we grasp more easily what Jesus was teaching in the words
and sequence of the Lord’s Prayer. When we comprehend this, we can confidently
declare our beliefs with emotion and sincerity, visualizing God's abundance and
kindness towards us.
“Our Father”
It's crucial to recognize that Jesus emphasizes the
spiritual basis of prosperity by addressing God as our Father. Jesus
illustrates our unity with the universal spirit, encompassing all aspects of
abundance and care. This differed from the tone of many religious leaders in
Jesus' time, who often focused and portrayed God as punitive rather than loving.
When Jesus refers to God as "father," he suggests that God is
characterized by love. Jesus emphasizes that the fundamental relationship
between God and His children is akin to that of a father and child. Viewing God
as a loving father enhances the unity of our prayers with God.
The teachings of the Old Testament are vital. Yet, they are
not meant to instill constant fear in God's children. Understanding the
guidelines for living a righteous life is essential, but God does not want us to
dwell constantly on retribution. Perceiving God as primarily vengeful creates fear
and distance. As God encompasses all and we are integral parts of the Divine,
any sense of separation weakens our connection. Jesus highlights in the opening
words of this prayer that by recognizing God as a loving father, we connect
with God's flow, blessings, and harmony.
Another obvious concept Jesus emphasizes, but which is often
overlooked, is that God does not categorize His children by race, gender,
intelligence, physical abilities, or other human-imposed labels that divide us.
As you deepen your prayer and meditation practices, you will understand the
absurdity of any divisions based on such criteria. The transcendent nature of
God transcends such distinctions, a truth that Jesus emphasizes from the
outset.
“Which art in Heaven -- ”
When Jesus affirms that God is in heaven, he gives us
instructions. Heaven is the expanded mind that we need to commune with God. It
is the kingdom. It is a state or kingdom of prosperity and higher consciousness.
It is a state or kingdom where we are perfect and one with God. Heaven is an
expanded state of mind. It is a state of possibilities. It can become a state
of mind that supersedes the appearance of the outside world.
Now that we understand what Jesus was trying to teach us at
the beginning of this wonderful prayer, we can see that the idea of not being
in harmony with God is a separation. If we pray in fear, we will not be in
union with the Almighty. We don’t barter with God, either. I think I’ve done
this many times, especially when I was young. I would say things like, “God, if
you do this for me, then I will do that.” Bargaining with a source that holds
all the cards is not a wise move. If I ever become foolish enough to fall back
into the idea of bargaining with the supreme, I think about the words of Emerson
as he says that “God’s dice are always loaded.”
What we aim to do when we reach the heavenly states is to
think more in tune with God and less like most humans. By understanding that
God is the source of all, we have a greater chance of aligning with that
source. It is never a waste of time to meditate on and contemplate the idea of
God as our loving father. A loving father will grant our wishes if they’re good
for us and we ask properly. One way I do this is to dwell on the magnificence
of God’s glory and generosity. It is a wonderful experience to feel that the love
for me is expressed in every breath I take. In time, poise sets in, and I meditate
in alignment.
To conclude this article, I offer you two meditations and
invite you to reflect on the meaning of the first six words Jesus gave us in
The Lord’s Prayer.
Meditation on – “Our Father”
Sit quietly and
meditate on the fact that Jesus affirms God’s nature and truth for us. This
relationship is that of father and child. Let your thoughts pass through the
idea that as children of God, we participate in God’s nature of being. God
pervades all things and is the divine spirit. We are also a part of this divine
spirit.
Try to feel that God's nature as a merciful and loving Father
is why He gives good gifts to His children. He bestows them out of love. This
meditation may also help us alleviate mental and spiritual suffering that is
based on fear.
Last, let the thought reflect that God is our Father. Thus,
we melt away the illusion of separateness based on differences such as race,
gender, ethnicity, or physical condition. We start to understand that when we
affirm the words “Our Father,” we are praying for all of humanity. We can start
to feel we are part of one body in God.
Meditation on – “Which Art in
Heaven”
Meditate on the idea that God's nature is to be in Heaven,
and ours is here on Earth. God is the source. God is cause. We are “effect.” We
are manifestations of God. We express God by taking our manifestations to the
light of the world, or the earth that we live on. We walk with God.
Heaven represents the presence of God, and Jesus instructs
us to cultivate a heavenly state of mind to commune with God in prayer.
I wish you peace and happiness in God’s Love. Peace,
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