The Pilgrim's Prayer If you’re new to Lifpoint | Worthington, take 30 seconds to fill out our Welcome Card! Have a question about today's message? Ask it here. “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'” — Matthew 6:7–13 (ESV) Introduction We often treat the Lord’s Prayer like a historical artifact locked in a museum. We recite it and admire it, but keep it disconnected from our everyday reality. The disruption of the Gospel is that Jesus never invited us to stay inside the building. He invited us out onto the trail. This prayer isn't a relic; it is the exact gear we need for the road. The Pilgrim Identity A pilgrim is a traveler who is on the move. A pilgrim is shaped by their destination. A pilgrim expects the terrain to be demanding because they are not on a safe journey. To recover our Christian identity, we must view our everyday life as a pilgrimage. Viewing faith as a pilgrimage deconstructs the spiritually reckless idea that being a Christian is a static state of being. Have a question or pushback on this? Ask it here. “Father” as a Signpost A signpost reorients our direction when we feel disoriented or lost. The word “Father” is a signpost that reorients us to the kind of relationship we actually have with God. “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” — A.W. Tozer In hardship, we naturally default to seeing God as a disengaged manager or a disappointed judge. Jesus shatters those images, revealing a Father who actively delights in His children. A signpost only works if you actually choose to trust it over your own internal compass. Have a question or pushback on this? Ask it here. “Father” as a Tool On a difficult pilgrimage, orientation is only half the battle. Jesus gives us a specific practical tool for the trail: a tether. A tether bears your weight when your legs give out and keeps you from falling. When we pray “Our Father,” we are actively clipping into His presence. We don't always need the right words or a list of demands; we just need proximity. Knowing God as Father Without leaning on this tether, we naturally default to living like orphans. Carrying your own weight and fighting your own battles is completely exhausting. Jesus is the true and perfect Pilgrim who came into the wilderness on a rescue mission. He absorbed the cost of our rebellion to offer us His exact status. Through faith in Jesus, the ultimate exchange happens: we stop being orphans and are adopted. Conclusion The early church used a manual called the Didache to pray the Lord's Prayer three times a day. They practiced this because they knew how quickly we forget who is leading us. The Challenge: Set three daily alarms this week to pause, clip into the tether, and simply pray “Our Father in heaven.” “You won't leave me in the shadows / Won't forsake me in the hurt / You might walk me through the valley / But You won't leave me in the dirt” — Benjamin William Hastings When you pray “Our Father,” you tether yourself to the God who will not leave you halfway there. As always, if you'd like to talk more with me about anything we discussed, you can sign up for meeting time. If you have any questions from the message today, send them here and I'll follow up!