The Lord's Prayer

In Earth as in Heaven

Our Father, which is in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. What is going on in Heaven? Whatever it is, God wants the same thing to go on down here on this planet.

I am sure that there is a lot of praising going on up there. Praising God with song, with instruments, with dancing, people humming happy tunes as they go about their business, hand clapping, foot stomping, jumping up and down, spinning around.

I think that angels and people probably do acrobatic displays of praise, as well. I am looking forward to being able to do cartwheels! I never have been able to do them before, not even when I was a kid. I was too uncoordinated and too scared of hurting myself.

You might ask, "Now, Lanny, are you sure about that stuff about acrobatics? Won't people's robes of righteousness and garments of salvation fly up and expose them? God surely does not want stuff like that to happen, after He has gone to so much trouble to cover our nakedness by sending Yeshua to die on the cross."

Don't worry; God has taken care of that. One of my pastors spoke of a sign and wonder he heard of or witnessed himself; I can't remember which. By the Holy Spirit, a woman managed to balance upside down, holding onto the back of a pew during a church service, and the entire time she was up there (it was a long time while the pastor preached), her skirt kept her as completely covered as if she had been standing on the floor. What was the point of it? Possibly to demonstrate that God really does exist and He can override the natural environment.

I myself saw the Holy Ghost flip a native sister, who was wearing a long skirt, over in a backwards sommersault when she was praying, crouched at the altar in a church. It took her totally by surprise and she was embarassed to think that people might have seen up her skirt. Nothing was exposed though, except for the hem of her pretty, frilly petticoat. The rush of her long skirts looked absolutely charming and was nothing at all to raise a blush. The people who saw it, laughed, though. It was so unexpected. I think it was a prophetic sign that this woman had "flipped" for Yeshua (fallen deeply in love with Him).

However God is praised in Heaven settles the question about how we should praise God in church and wherever else we take the opportunity to do it. Out with the glum faces, lugubrious intonations, and ponderous funeral music and in with the joy! I can't imagine anyone in Heaven scowling and being fiercely self–righteous and critical as they sing God's songs, though there is a place on Earth for being solemn in church as we examine our hearts and repent of our sins. There is no sin in Heaven, so let there be no sin in us, either.

How do folks behave to each other up there? Words like kind, courteous, and friendly come to mind. Happy faces smiling as people pass each other in the streets. People being helpful, generous, considerate, appreciative, encouraging, patient. There are no cliques. Nobody gangs up on anyone to make their lives miserable.

I have been blessed to be in churches where lots of people were friendly and helpful to me. I am sorry that it has not always been my experience and that it has sometimes not been other people's experience at all. They perhaps gave up on going to church too soon, rather than to go look for one where a good many of the people lived what it said they believed. This part of the prayer not only helps give us some direction, but it also helps us see where we have been coming up short.

There is no sickness or lack in Heaven, so that gives us a big clue that God doesn't want us to experience sickness or lack down here, either. Nor do the Gospels show that Yeshua turned away anyone who came to Him for healing. He didn't tell anyone to go away and bear it patiently because it would teach them something. Remember the Our Father part of this prayer? If we, as parents, would not give our child pneumonia to teach them to not run around without a coat, or to build character in them, then let's not accuse God of being less loving and sensible as a parent than what we are.

As for lack, Paul said that he knew how to abound and how to suffer lack. If we are suffering lack, we know from the rebukes that the Israelites got in the wilderness that we aren't supposed to grumble against the Lord about it or make life miserable for others. Also the Bible says to give thanks to God in all circumstances.

Did Paul just sit there in his misery, not bothering to pray to God to provide what he needed because he thought God wanted him to suffer lack? Of course not. He prayed and waited patiently for his package to arrive or the opportunity to change things. God says that He will provide for all our needs according to His riches in glory. There is no shortage of good stuff up there, but sometimes our deliveries are delayed because the fallen angels are fighting in the heavenlies against the angels who are bringing the answers to our prayers.

It isn't going to help us prevail through prayer if we think that it is a godly thing to be poor. I am not saying that poor people are ungodly. There are many poor people who are rich in faith towards God, but we can do others a lot more good if we have extra to share.

We can not only determine in a general way what God's will is for down here on Earth, by considering what is going on in Heaven, but we can also change the spelling to a small e, earth, and apply it personally. We were made from earth. What is God's will for us as individual vessels of clay? Let us consider how God's will is done in Heaven. Willingly, joyfully, and as soon as He gives the order.

Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
[Psalm 119:11]

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Give Us Daily Bread
Forgive us our Sins
As we Forgive Others
Lead not into Temptation
Deliver us from Evil
Yours is the Kingdom
Yours is the Power
Yours is the Glory
Forever Amen