馬太福音 6:9-13節的禱告文,第一句就說:「我們在天上的父、願人都尊你的名為聖」,這一段主耶穌教導門徒如何禱告的經文被稱為主禱文,其實這樣稱呼並不十分恰當! 因為這是主耶穌教導門徒禱告的示範,是門徒禱告時應秉承的態度及該有的內容。所以稱其為門徒禱告文更為適合。
「我們在天上的父」中的「我們」這兩個字,表明了這位天上的父神是屬於「我們」的,也奠定了在天上的父神與在地上的「我們」之間的關係,「我們」這一群是神的兒女,是天父和衪兒女的關係。另一方面,也奠定了「我們」彼此之間的關係,如果我們重生得救的人都有同一位天父,那麼我們就是主內的弟兄姐妹了,所以不要輕看「我們」這兩個字的重要性。
創世記 1:1 節說:「 起初,神創造天地。」,「 起初」是指時間的開始,神在時間還沒有開始之前就已經存在,並且開始實施其創造大工,因為祂在萬有之先,萬物都是由祂所創造的,祂是我們創始成終的天父。
大家還記得我們初信主第一次禱告的心情嗎? 你感覺到周圍敬虔的肅靜,你自己的眼睛本來是閉上的,但是因為好奇,你是否曾情不自禁地暗中睜開你的眼睛,竊竊環顧你所在的環境有甚麼變化? 你想知道,神啊! 你是真的與我們同在嗎? 你真的在聆聽我們出自內心的禱告嗎?
為何主耶穌教導我們「願人都尊你的名為聖」? 「願人」就是願每一個人都要尊重「我們在天上的父」的名為聖。我若要尊神的名,就要從認識祂的名字開始。美國太空人第一次登上太空,在太空艙裡讀詩篇讚美神,稱頌祂的名,見証感嘆神創造的奇妙和偉大。但蘇聯的太空人在太空漫步後卻說他們見不到神,因而就斷定神是不存在的。人實在是渺小無知,用有限的知識去判斷無限的神。
「名字」是代表那擁有者的特性及品格。當摩西問神的名字時神說:「我是自有永有的」,是藉此讓以色列人知道神與他們的關係;神曾屢次顯示祂是以色列祖宗的神,現在神自己說:「我是自有永有的」,因祂是萬物的源頭及創造主,不是人手所造的:神的這個回答,藉這「名字」顯示祂自己與每一個人有個別直接的關係,是絕對的存在,有絕對的權能,掌管一切,祂本有的神性是超越時空,不受時空所限制,神還要指出祂那永遠要被人記念的名,就是耶和華。
弟兄姊妹們,我們是被造的人,應該尊重耶和華神是創造我們的主,認識衪是我們在天上全能的父,至高的神。因此,被造的萬民都要來敬拜耶和華,榮耀我們天父的名。阿們!
Translation:
Our Father In Heaven, Hallowed Be Your Name ~Rev. Bernie Chung
The first sentence of the prayer recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 says, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." This and the remaining verses are widely known as “the Lord's Prayer”. However, this is not entirely correct. Our Lord Jesus teaches His disciples and uses this prayer as an example. Judging the content of the prayer, it may be more appropriate to call it the “Disciple's Prayer”.
The word our in "our Father in heaven" indicates that the Father in heaven belongs to us, and also establishes the relationship between the Father in heaven and those of us on Earth, emphasizing the kinship of God and His children. Furthermore, our also signifies the relationship we have with one another. As all of us are created and saved by the same Heavenly Father, this informs us of how we are brothers and sisters in the Lord. The word our is of great importance in this context.
Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. “In the beginning” refers to the beginning of time. God existed before time and before all things because he is the creator of all things. He is also our Heavenly Father.
Do you still remember the feeling you had when you prayed for the very first time as a new believer? You may have felt the godly silence around you. Your eyes may also close at the beginning before curiosity overtook you. You secretly peeked at the surrounding area to see if anything had changed during prayers. You wanted to ask God—are You really with us? Are You really listening to our prayers from our hearts?
Why does the Lord Jesus teach us “Hallowed be your name”? Hallowed means consecrated and everyone shall honor the holly name of "Our Father who is in heaven". If I want to honor God's name, I must start by knowing what His name represents. When American astronauts were in space for the first time, they recited Psalms to praise God from their space capsule. They praised God’s name as they witnessed the wonder and greatness of God’s creation. Conversely, the Soviet astronauts, after taking the spacewalk, said that they did not see God, and concluded that God does not exist. It is fair to say that humans are really ignorant and insignificant. They often try to use their limited knowledge to judge the infinite God.
Name represents the character of the possessor. When Moses asks for God's name, his purpose is to let the Israelites know God's relationship with them even though God has revealed Himself as the God of the fathers of Israel. God says, "I AM that I AM" because He is of all things, the source, and the creator. Nothing belongs to God is made by human hands. Do we have a personal relationship with this Holy God who is an absolute being, has absolute power, is in control of everything? Divinity is beyond the limitations of time and space, and God will also point out His name, Jehovah, that will be remembered forever.
Brothers and sisters, we are created beings. Let’s revere Jehovah God as our Creator and proclaim His Holy name through all nations so that people everywhere will come and worship the Lord. May the name of our Heavenly Father be glorified. Amen!
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