Sacred Cynicism

Don’t you hate it when people ask for the impossible? The boss wants a report yesterday. The finance division at work wants numbers from your department, numbers that you have not even received yet. Your family wants a house with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a fireplace, and all for a price even with your current home. The impossible is frustrating because it cannot be attained, and when we strive after the impossible , that effort raises stress and it makes life difficult.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus prays that the Father’s will might be done here on Earth just as it is in heaven. Why would Jesus say something like that? Here is one more thing to add to my impossible list. Has Jesus even seen my world? Is he familiar with the people that I have to live with and work with? I understand how God’s will can be done in heaven, but not on Earth – at least my little corner of Earth. How can God’s will be done where I live?

First of all, I think that prayer is a little nonsensical. It is impractical and almost delusional to think that God’s will can be done where I live. Maybe God’s will is very easily done up in God’s neighborhood, but He should visit my street, and my workplace. If God thinks His will can be done where I live, perhaps He should come down and… . .

There it is, isn’t it? Maybe this prayer is not delusional, or even impractical. God did come to Earth and live on my street. Before Christ came, this prayer would have been completely delusional. Because how can God’s will be done where I live in the same way it can be done where He resides, unless God lives where I am. Because of Jesus, where God lives and where I live will always be the same place. Even better, if God continues to live in us, then He still lives on my street, and works in my cubicle.

Now it starts to come into focus, especially in the week right after Easter. Because Christ lives, and because He came, there is not a division between Earth and Heaven. God lives on Earth, and God can live in me. If this is true, and Easter says that it is – then why cannot God’s will be done on Earth? It seems to me that this is our task. If Jesus started God’s kingdom, then we are to participate in it and grow it. So this prayer impacts how I live. It challenges me to respond in a way that furthers His will. It tells me to look for the ones that culture kicks to the curb, and include them. It challenges my priorities and my habits.

I wish the prayer was delusional, then it would be easy to ignore. Since Christ came, it is not delusional at all. It is tough. It is different. It seems to be just what my world needs.