Weekly Update// Alina Saucedo

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The more I try to remember how I learned the Lord’s Prayer, the more I get confused about with whom or where I learned it. Do you remember who taught it to you? Do you remember where?

The first memory that comes to my mind is reading it in the Upper Room devotionals, right on the prayer section, making it larger than usual. Every time I got a new one for the next quarter, I would first locate the longer prayer in all the devotionals that included the Lord’s Prayer and mark it to create the expectation for later. Also, I remember my surprise at finding it in the Bible and finding its origin, finding out Jesus taught it. So, I started comparing it with the devotionals, other books, Sunday School materials, and songs where I had found that prayer. As you may imagine, when I was a child this prayer impacted my young mind, since I found it powerful, inspiring, and mysterious, like a prayer with power in itself.

I may not remember how I learned this prayer, but I know how it has become part of my spiritual practices where I found its power in my life. I remember repeating it incessantly while waiting outside ICU when mom was very sick, holding on to the prayer as holding on to God. I remember praying it slowly, walking through unknown places and dangerous locations as a mantra of protection. I remember praying when I did not find the words to talk to God when everything seemed lost. I remember praying in silence all day when I was dealing with problems. I remember praying it with tears but holding hard onto it those days when the world seemed lost in darkness and in pain. I remember praying it louder with hands in the direction of the sky full of joy and gratitude, with tears of joy and amazement about God. I remember praying to get courage, strength, and direction to ground myself before an event, a sermon, an interview, or before making decisions. I remember opening my eyes in the morning, looking at the tree in front of the window and greeting the day with this prayer, and closing my eyes at the end of the day and finding it hard to sleep until I could pray it again.

I remember praying it with so many people and places where God has allowed me to be. In so many places with people of all ages and languages praying like a unique voice, in different tones and times, and I can say with certainty that the Lord’s Prayer not only allows us to speak to God but also embrace His power, His love and care as individuals and as a community.

During the years, I heard several sermons about it and several song versions of it. I enjoy them all. Every time it speaks louder and deeper into our hearts, so I invite you to continue learning with Pastor Chris in the second part of the Sermon Series “Pray like this” this Sunday. We will be waiting for you at our contemporary and traditional worship services at 9:30 am and 11:00 am, respectively.

 Let’s learn more about the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer together!

Have a blessed week,

Alina Saucedo Paucara

Pastoral Intern