—A Good Friday Reflection on the Lord’s Prayer

I hadn’t planned to write today, it being Good Friday and all—a sacred day for Christians. But what happens when a familiar prayer slows you down enough to really hear it?

This.

Sometime between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m., I found myself awake again.

Not restless exactly—just… awake.

It’s Holy Week… maybe that’s what triggered a soul-searching dive into the Lord’s Prayer, line by line. And, once again, I found how little I actually know.

So I did what I’ve been trying to do lately.

I slowed down enough to pray the words I’ve often recited on autopilot over my lifetime, one line at a time.

The Lord’s Prayer.

Line by line, stopping at each to ask—what does this really mean?

What I discovered is that there is no better place to begin than with the words, Our Father.

Maybe not because we understand what we’re actually saying—because we might not. Not really.

But even unsure, half-awake, and not fully willing, we are still invited to say them.

And somehow, in saying them, we find ourselves there—in His presence—not at the end of the prayer on the Amen, but right there at the very beginning.

Because He knows—

We’re still learning, still resisting. Still loved.

So I keep walking, keep circling back.

And I keep starting here—

Our Father…

Our Father in heaven—holy, revered, blessed—hallowed is Your name.

Thy kingdom come.

But there’s a problem at 3:00 a.m. My mind is blurry, my memory fuzzy. What did Jesus mean exactly by the Kingdom? Sometimes it feels so far beyond my ability to grasp—like God Himself. And yet, I talk to Him all the time as if I do.

Is this another way of saying: more of You, Lord, less of me?

More of You in my heart, in others; more of You today and in the future—more of Your justice and mercy and peace. Thy Kingdom come—more of Your completion here on earth, here in us, here in me…

He’s coming again—and what will happen then? We can ignore this, live as if it’s not going to happen—many have, many do. But what then?

He’ll defeat His enemies.

He’ll defeat death. (1 Cor. 15)

He’ll wipe away every fear, all sorrow and pain.

And behold—He’s going to make all things new. (Rev. 21)

I guess “Thy kingdom” shifts the focus away from selfish ambition to God’s will—because that’s what comes next.

Thy will be done.

We turn our plans and personal desires over to God’s wisdom—to His plans, to His purposes—here on earth, as it is in heaven.

What happens then?

What will last?

What’s real?

Who’s real?

Am I?

Look what had to happen to the Velveteen Rabbit to become real.

Am I willing?

No wonder we drift into autopilot on this prayer. These words are a lot to hold all at once.

Do we even know what we’re saying?

Your will, not mine. And somehow… His will is love.

Love Him.

Love others.

Love ourselves… even as messy as we are.

“Get over yourself,” He seems to say to me at the 3 o’clock hour. “Let Me show you what’s real.”

Here we are, and I’ve barely made it through the second line…

There’s another shift. Give us. Not give me my, but give us our daily bread…

That’s as far as I got. I fell back to sleep around 5:00 and slept soundly for another two hours. Thank goodness—because it’s Good Friday, and I can’t actually think of a better way to spend it than in the Lord’s Prayer.

I remember a time when Good Friday meant a good sale at the Gap.

I remember walking out of the store around 3:00… the sun came out. I wondered what Jesus thought about the bag of new items in my arms.

He didn’t seem to judge me. It was more like a soft whisper:

“I understand…”

Our hearts can deceive us—but not the One who knows our hearts. When He’s there inside, He starts cleaning up the place. And He’s not in a rush.

I remember that day twenty-seven years ago because it was the first Easter after my divorce. I had finished teaching a ballet class and went to the Gap. It made the day feel special. It made me feel special.

And God was so kind.

He knew that place wouldn’t sustain me—but He would.

And He has, each and every day since.

It sure makes this next line all the more immediate…

Forgive us.

Our pleas for God’s forgiveness are tied to our ability to forgive. And that day, I had a lot of forgiveness needing to be extended. Did I? I don’t remember.

But I do know this: if we hold on to a grudge, bitterness blocks the flow of God’s peace and presence in our lives.

In Luke’s version of the Lord’s prayer, it’s shorter, but you get a story about a friend who comes knocking around the 3’o’clock hour, asking for three loaves of bread for another friend on a journey who has arrived late.

The man tries to send him away—it’s late, his kids are asleep. But because of his friend’s persistence and boldness, he gets up and gives his friend everything he needs.

Jesus says: ask, seek, knock—it will be given, found, opened. How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him—spiritual gifts—like the fruits in Galatians 5.

It doesn’t get any better than that.

They are God’s greatest gifts.

We’ve almost made it to the doxology at the end of the prayer, but before that comes, there’s the humble plea for protection:

Lead us not into temptation.

Guide us away from situations that might overwhelm—or underwhelm—our faith.

In other words, steer us clear.

So today, with that extra sleep, I think of it all a little differently than I did in the night.

James 1:2 says to consider it pure joy when we face trials—that temptations, tests, and tears produce perseverance. And when we stand the test of time, we receive the crown of life.

I always think of the ending of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, when the children are sitting on their thrones wearing crowns. Aslan has overcome. And so have they—death—and all of it.

So what do we say to all this…? Maybe this? Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. 🎶

I didn’t know until this morning that the Lord’s Prayer echoes David’s words in 1 Chronicles 29:11. In fact, this has been written with my Bible open in my lap—one thing leading to the next…

“Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom…”

I’m just a “girl” asking and seeking and knocking. The Door opens.

And there we have it. We’ve come full circle.

We made it home.

❤️