Hate may shout out but love is final word

Something bad happens and presidents and prime ministers stand in front of reporters and declare that their ‘thoughts and prayers’ are with the people.

Politicians, of course, simply reflect the will of the people, who pour out their ‘thoughts and prayers’ across social media.

But if our thoughts are no more than worry that disaster could strike us too, and if our prayers are no more than abdicating responsibility for change to a higher power, what’s the point?

Jesus’s disciples asked him: “Teach us to pray.”

He taught them, recognise that God is our parent, and is deeply good. Let that sink in.

As God’s children, we are to bear that family likeness.

Next, recognise our tendency to think we know better than God, a clash of wills.

Where do we need to be reconciled?

Ask God for what we need; and trusting in that provision, be generous with what we have – be God’s answer to the needs of others. Admit that we have hurt others in what we have thought, said, done, or refused to do for them.

Receive forgiveness – and extend forgiveness to others.

Ask God to lead us away from those self-destructive coping mechanisms we so easily become dependent on—and keep walking.

Ask God to save us from the evil in the world, so that however loudly hate shouts out, love might have the final word.

We call this the Lord’s Prayer, and it describes the relationship, the partnership, we can have with God.