In Matthew 6 Jesus is teaching the church the importance of caring for the most vulnerable by giving to the needy, not worrying about our investments, food, clothing, or our everyday living. Luke also shares these verses in the first four verses of chapter 11. In the preceding chapter, Luke talks about the importance of being in communion with God and then our neighbor. Communication is key to a relationship with God and our neighbor. Jesus taught communion as a way for His church to love Him and each other fully is possible when we focus on what He has already done for us. This Lenten season we have a unique opportunity to praise Him and leave our current concerns and fears about the future in His hands empowering us to share His love with our needy neighbor.
In a time where the simple act of breathing brings anxiety, it is life-giving to breathe deeply in prayer. The COVID19 crisis has forced us to be still during this lenten season. The unusual sacrifice of normal living replaces our typical token sacrifice that is traditional during lent and brings us to a place of openness and surrender at the foot of His cross and ours. As we grieve the loss of the normal we have known we must seek His will for what our new normal will be and four our future hope. Here in this strange in-between place the Kingdoms of heaven and earth meet and we Hope for His will to be done and rest in the joy of knowing His good is far better than our dreams.
As we struggle through the difficulties of reconciling an earthly kingdom to God let us work this Lent to open ourselves to God and His will for our happiness. The Lenten practices of prayer fasting and giving alms to help others will also help us find His hope during this anxious time. Let us often pray to God in our own words, from deep within our beings. Jesus understood that there would be times when we wouldn't have words to express our fears and dreams. (John 16:33, Romans 8:26) In times like this we can pray as He taught us: The Lord's Prayer Song
