📖 Injili ya Mathayo — Somo la Kina — Sehemu ya 5: Sala ya Bwana📖 Matthew Intensive — Unit 5: The Lord's Prayer

Andiko: Mathayo 6:9Text: Matthew 6:9

Sala ya KielelezoThe Pattern Prayer

Wengi wetu tunaijua sala hii kama Sala ya Bwana, ingawa wengine wameiita Sala ya Wanafunzi au Sala ya Kielelezo, kwa kuwa Yesu hakuisali kwa ajili yake mwenyewe bali aliitoa wanafunzi walipomwomba, "Bwana, tufundishe sisi kusali." Haikukusudiwa kamwe ikaririwe tu; ni kielelezo cha maombi yetu yote. Yesu alikuwa amewaonya wasikilizaji wake wasisali "ili waonekane na watu," bali waingie katika chumba cha faragha na kumwomba Baba aonaye sirini, na "wasipayukepayuke kama watu wa mataifa," wakirundika maneno mengi kama walivyofanya manabii wa Baali juu ya Karmeli, wakilia tangu asubuhi hadi jioni bila kujibiwa — wakati Eliya alitoa ombi moja rahisi na moto ukashuka. Baba yetu anajua tayari tunayohitaji kabla hatujamwomba. Kwa hiyo sala ya kielelezo ni fupi. Ina maombi sita: matatu ya kwanza yanamhusu Mungu na utukufu wake, matatu ya mwisho yanahusu mahitaji yetu wenyewe. Kila kifungu kinaweza kuwa kichwa ambacho chini yake tunaleta mambo yetu wenyewe — chini ya "riziki ya kila siku," mahitaji yetu ya siku hiyo. Hebu tuipitie.Most of us know this as the Lord's Prayer, though some have called it the Disciples' Prayer or the Model Prayer, since Jesus did not pray it for Himself but gave it when the disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray." It was never meant merely to be memorized; it is a pattern for all our praying. Jesus had just warned His hearers not to pray "to be seen by men," but to go into a private room and pray to the Father who sees in secret, and not to "use vain repetitions as the heathen do," heaping up many words as the prophets of Baal did on Carmel, crying from morning to evening with no answer — while Elijah offered one simple prayer and the fire fell. Our Father already knows what we need before we ask Him. So the model prayer is short. It has six petitions: the first three concern God and His glory, the last three our own need. Each phrase can serve as a heading under which we bring our own concerns — under "daily bread," our needs for the day. Let us walk through it.

"Yetu""Our"

Hakuna viwakilishi vya umoja katika sala hii; vyote ni vya wingi. Inaanza na "Baba yetu." Tunaposali tu sehemu ya familia ya Mungu ya ulimwengu mzima, na hatuna haki ya kuomba jambo lolote ambalo lingemdhuru mshiriki mwingine wa familia hiyo. Wanaoisali sala hii ni vijana na wazee, matajiri na maskini, wasomi na watu wa kawaida; tunatoka katika jamii zote na vizazi vyote duniani, lakini ikipita katikati ya kila tofauti kuna ushirika mmoja tu. Tena neno "yetu" linaifanya sala kuwa ya kibinafsi — Mungu si sanamu wala jiwe wala mti, bali ni Yule ambaye tuna uhusiano naye, kama Henoko alivyokwenda pamoja na Mungu miaka mia tatu hadi Mungu alipomtwaa.There are no singular pronouns in this prayer; they are all plural. It begins "Our Father." When we pray we are part of God's worldwide family, and we have no right to ask for anything that would harm another member of that family. Those who pray this prayer are young and old, rich and poor, learned and simple; we belong to all races and ages on earth, yet cutting across every difference is one single fellowship. And "our" makes the prayer personal — God is not an idol or a rock or a tree, but One with whom we have a relationship, as Enoch walked with God three hundred years until God took him.

"Baba""Father"

Kufafanua neno hili kunahitaji zaidi ya kamusi. "Baba" linaweza kumaanisha uzazi tu — mwanamume aliyesababisha kuzaliwa kwa mtoto, ambaye huenda hata asimwone mtoto huyo kamwe. Lakini pia linaweza kumaanisha ubaba, uhusiano wa upendo na kuaminiana na tumaini kati ya baba na mtoto. Kama Wakristo tunaamini kwamba Mungu ni Baba yetu kwa maana zote mbili: Yeye ndiye chanzo cha uhai wote, na, kwa namna ya pekee, kupitia Yesu tunaweza kuwa na uhusiano wa karibu na wa upendo pamoja naye. Jambo hili halikueleweka kabla. Wastoiki wa Kigiriki walimwona Mungu asiye na hisia; Waepikureo, Mungu aliye mbali kabisa; waandishi wa Agano la Kale, Mungu mtukufu lakini wa kutisha. Lakini Yesu anatufundisha kumwita Mungu "Baba." Huko Gethsemane aliomba, "Aba, Baba," na kupitia yeye tunafanywa wana kwa kufanywa wana wa kupangwa (Wagalatia 4:5-7).It takes more than a dictionary to define this word. "Father" can mean mere paternity — the man responsible for a birth, who may never lay eyes on the child. But it can also mean fatherhood, a relationship of love and confidence and trust between father and child. As Christians we believe God is our Father in both senses: He is the source of all life, and, uniquely, through Jesus we may have an intimate, loving relationship with Him. This was not understood before. The Greek Stoics saw a God without feeling; the Epicureans an utterly detached God; the Old Testament writers a splendid but terrible God. But Jesus teaches us to call God "Father." In Gethsemane He prayed "Abba, Father," and through Him we are adopted as sons (Galatians 4:5-7).

"Uliye Mbinguni""Who Art in Heaven"

"Mbinguni" kwa kweli ni wingi — "katika mbingu," kama Mwanzo inavyosema kwamba Mungu aliumba "mbingu na nchi." Kwa akili zetu za kisasa tunauliza, "Mbingu iko wapi hasa?" Mwanaanga mmoja wa Kirusi aliwahi kusema hakumwamini Mungu kwa sababu hakumwona angani; lakini nimewajua wanaanga wa Kimarekani waliomwona Mungu waziwazi kabisa walipokuwa angani — walimwona kwa macho ya kiroho. Kama Yesu alivyomwambia mwanamke Msamaria, Mungu ni Roho; hafungiwi mahali pamoja, bali yuko kila mahali, akiumba, akitegemeza, na akiokoa. Huenda ni bora kufikiria ubora wa maisha ya mbinguni kuliko mahali ilipo. Katika Ufunuo 21:4 Mungu atafuta kila chozi; mauti haitakuwapo tena, wala maombolezo, wala kilio, wala maumivu. Mtu hawezi kuwaza kimbunga mbinguni, au ajali ya gari — hakuna lolote kati ya mambo yanayoleta huzuni katika maisha ya wanadamu."In heaven" is actually plural — "in the heavens," as Genesis says God created "the heavens and the earth." To our sophisticated minds we ask, "Exactly where is heaven?" A Russian cosmonaut once said he did not believe in God because he did not see Him in outer space; yet I have known American astronauts who saw God very clearly while in space — they saw Him with spiritual eyes. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, God is Spirit; He is not confined to any one place but is everywhere, creating, upholding, and saving. It may be better to think of the quality of life in heaven than of its location. In Revelation 21:4 God will wipe away every tear; there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. One cannot imagine a cyclone in heaven, or an automobile wreck — none of the things that bring sorrow to human life.

"Jina Lako Litukuzwe""Hallowed Be Thy Name"

"Litukuzwe" (kwa Kiingereza "hallowed") maana yake ni "kuwa tofauti," na linahusiana na maneno mtakatifu, kutakaswa, na watakatifu. Hekalu ni takatifu kwa sababu ni tofauti na majengo mengine; Sabato ni takatifu kwa sababu ni tofauti na siku nyingine; kuhani ni mtakatifu kwa sababu ni tofauti na watu wengine. Kwa hiyo ombi hili lina maana, "Jina la Mungu na litendewe kwa namna tofauti na majina mengine yote." Ibada ya kweli daima hutambua kwamba Mungu ni tofauti nasi. Kabla ya kumwomba Mungu mambo tunayoyataka, tunahitaji "Acheni, mjue ya kuwa mimi ni Mungu" (Zaburi 46:10). Yeye ni roho, sisi si roho; Yeye ni mwenyezi, sisi ni dhaifu; Yeye ni mjuzi wa yote, sisi ni wajinga; Yeye ni mwema, sisi ni wenye dhambi. Tunapomwinua Mungu juu zaidi na zaidi, hilo huamsha kicho na heshima — "Mtakatifu, Mtakatifu, Mtakatifu, Bwana Mungu Mwenyezi.""Hallowed" means "to be different," and is related to the words holy, sanctified, and saints. A temple is holy because it is different from other buildings; the Sabbath is holy because it is different from other days; a priest is holy because he is different from other men. So this petition means, "Let God's name be treated differently from all other names." True worship always recognizes that God is different than we are. Before asking God for the things we want, we need to "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). He is spirit, we are not; He is all-powerful, we are weak; He is all-knowing, we are ignorant; He is good, we are sinners. As we lift God higher and higher, it inspires awe and reverence — "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty."

"Jina Lako""Thy Name"

Kwa Kiebrania jina halimaanishi tu jinsi mtu anavyoitwa; linamaanisha asili yake, tabia yake, nafsi ya mtu huyo kwa kadiri ilivyofunuliwa. Ndiyo maana mtunga zaburi anasema, "Nao wanaolijua jina lako watakutumaini" (Zaburi 9:10) — yaani wale wanaojua Mungu alivyo watamtumaini. Jina Yehova, au Yahweh, lilimaanisha "MIMI NIKO" mkuu, Mungu anayeshika agano; Wayahudi waliliheshimu kiasi kwamba hawakuthubutu hata kulitamka. Lakini heshima kuu kwa jina la Mungu haitokani na kuepuka kulitamka, bali katika kutii amri zake. Mhubiri mmoja aliwahi kuketi katika bustani moja huko Chicago karibu na sanamu ya Abraham Lincoln. Mtu mmoja aliutazama uso ule akavua kofia yake kwa heshima; mwingine aliketi juu ya kitako cha sanamu akiandika mistari michafu. Vivyo hivyo wengine huliheshimu jina la Mungu na wengine hulikufuru.In Hebrew a name does not simply mean what a person is called; it means his nature, his character, the personality of the person insofar as it is revealed. So the psalmist says, "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee" (Psalm 9:10) — meaning those who know what God is like will trust Him. The name Jehovah, or Yahweh, meant the great "I AM," a covenant-keeping God; the Jews so revered it that they would not even pronounce it. But the greatest reverence for the name of God comes not from avoiding its pronunciation but in obedience to His commandments. A preacher once sat in a Chicago park near a statue of Abraham Lincoln. One man gazed into that face and removed his hat in reverence; another sat on the pedestal writing obscene verses. So some reverence the name of God while others blaspheme it.

"Ufalme Wako Uje""Thy Kingdom Come"

Ufalme ni mahali penye Mfalme — panapotawaliwa si kwa uchaguzi wala bunge bali kwa neno la Mfalme. Katika Agano la Kale Israeli hawakuwa na "mfalme ila Mungu" hadi wazee walipomjia Samweli wakiomba mfalme (1 Samweli 8); na hivyo wakaja Sauli, Daudi, Sulemani, na ufalme uliogawanyika. Katika Agano Jipya mamajusi walimtafuta Mfalme wa Wayahudi, ubatizo wa Yesu ulikuwa kutawazwa kwake, na Pilato aliuliza, "Wewe ndiwe mfalme?" — naye Yesu akajibu, "Ufalme wangu sio wa ulimwengu huu." Ufalme huo ni wa wakati uliopita (Ibrahimu, Isaka, na Yakobo wamo ndani yake, Luka 13:28), wa sasa (uko "ndani yenu," Luka 17:21, na kanisa limejengwa juu ya mwamba), na bado unakuja, kwa kuwa bado tunapungukiwa na utukufu wake. Tena unasonga mbele: barani Afrika kulikuwa na Wakristo milioni nane mwaka 1900 na leo takriban milioni mia nne; huko China kanisa lililipuka kukua chini ya ukomunisti baada ya wamisionari kuondoka; huko Iran ndilo kanisa linalokua kwa kasi kuliko yote duniani, kwa sehemu kubwa likiongozwa na wanawake, likikua licha ya mateso makali.A kingdom is a place with a King — ruled not by elections or congress but by the King's word. In the Old Testament Israel had "no king but God" until the elders came to Samuel asking for a king (1 Samuel 8); and so came Saul, David, Solomon, and a divided kingdom. In the New Testament the wise men sought the King of the Jews, Jesus' baptism was His coronation, and Pilate asked, "Are You the king?" — to which Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world." That kingdom is past (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are in it, Luke 13:28), present (it is "within you," Luke 17:21, and the church is built on the rock), and still coming, for we still fall short of His glory. And it is going forth: in Africa there were eight million Christians in 1900 and some four hundred million today; in China the church exploded under communism after the missionaries left; in Iran it is the fastest-growing church on earth, largely women-led, growing despite intense persecution.

"Mapenzi Yako Yatimizwe""Thy Will Be Done"

"Mapenzi yako yatimizwe" haikuwa tu sehemu ya sala ambayo Yesu alifundisha; ilikuwa kanuni inayotawala maisha yake mwenyewe, sababu moja iliyomleta ulimwenguni. Tunajuaje mapenzi ya Mungu? Kupitia dhamiri yetu, ile sauti ya ndani inayosema acha, au inayotuhimiza kufanya jambo fulani jema. Kupitia mazingira yetu — Albert Schweitzer, alipokuwa akijaribu kuamua kazi ya maisha yake, aliokota gazeti lililoletwa kwake kimakosa, akasoma makala kuhusu mahitaji ya misheni ya Kongo, akasema, "Utafutaji wangu umekwisha." Kupitia vipawa vyetu — yule mwanamke aliyechoshwa na maisha ambaye mchungaji wake alimwambia, "Ni mapenzi ya Mungu uimbe katika kwaya, kwa kuwa una kipawa na kwaya inakuhitaji." Kupitia ushauri wa wengine — Thomas Carlyle alisema sauti ya mama yake iliendelea kumwita, "Mtumaini Mungu na ufanye lililo haki." Kuna tahadhari moja: tunajaribu kujifunza kila kitu mara moja, lakini Mungu hufunua mapenzi yake kama taa ya zamani ya mafuta ya taa iliyoinuliwa gizani — unaona hatua chache tu mbele, lakini kila hatua unayopiga, nuru inasogea mbele kidogo. Usiulize Mungu anataka nini kwa maisha yako yote, bali uliza, "Mungu anataka nifanye nini leo?""Thy will be done" was not only part of the prayer Jesus taught; it was the ruling principle of His own life, the one reason He came into the world. How do we know God's will? Through our conscience, the voice within that says stop, or that urges some good thing. Through our circumstances — Albert Schweitzer, trying to settle on his life's work, picked up a misdelivered magazine, read an article on the needs of the Congo mission, and said, "My search is over." Through our talents — the woman fed up with life whose pastor told her, "It is God's will for you to sing in the choir, for you have the talent and the choir needs you." Through the counsel of others — Thomas Carlyle said his mother's voice kept calling him, "Trust in God and do the right." There is one caution: we try to learn everything at once, but God reveals His will like an old kerosene lantern held up in the dark — you see only a few yards ahead, but each step you take, the light moves a little farther. Ask not what God wants for your whole life, but, "What does God want me to do this day?"

Kuyaitikia Mapenzi YakeResponding to His Will

Watu huyaitikia mapenzi ya Mungu kwa njia tofauti. Wengine hukataa kumsikia — Peter Marshall alisimulia habari za mwanamke mgonjwa aliyeomba apone, hadi siku moja alihisi Mungu akimwuliza, "Je, hilo ndilo unalotaka kweli?" akatambua kwamba alikuwa amekipenda kitanda chake cha utulivu kisicho na mapambano ya kukabili. Wengine huyakataa mapenzi yake kwa huzuni, kama yule kijana tajiri mtawala aliyeondoka akiwa na huzuni. Wengine hukasirika; inasemekana Beethoven alikutwa amekufa ngumi zake zikiwa zimekunjwa kana kwamba anataka kumpiga Mungu. Lakini kielelezo kikuu ni jinsi Yesu alivyoyakubali mapenzi ya Mungu huko Gethsemane. Alikuwa ametoa kila kitu kwa ajili ya ufalme, na sasa ilionekana kwamba yote yamepotea; mapambano yake yalikuwa makubwa kiasi kwamba matone ya damu yalidondoka kutoka usoni mwake. Lakini alipata ushindi alipoomba, "Walakini si mapenzi yangu, bali yako yatendeke." Kwa nini tuyatumaini mapenzi hayo? Kwa sababu Mungu anajua yajayo wakati sisi hatuyajui — si wapiga ramli wala nyota za bahati, bali Mungu anayeijua njia tuipitayo (Ayubu 23:10). Kwa sababu anajua lililo bora — dirisha la vioo vya rangi huonekana hafifu kwa nje lakini la fahari kwa ndani (Warumi 8:28). Kwa sababu mapenzi yake ni kubariki — Yusufu aliwaambia ndugu zake, "Ninyi mlinikusudia mabaya, bali Mungu aliyakusudia kuwa mema" (Mwanzo 50:20). Na kwa sababu mapenzi yake ni ya enzi kuu na yaliyoamriwa (Waefeso 1:11); Yona alijaribu kupinga, akajifunza kwamba kupinga hakuna faida.People react to God's will in different ways. Some refuse to hear Him — Peter Marshall told of a sick woman who prayed to be well, until one day she sensed God asking, "Is that what you really want?" and realized she had grown fond of her quiet bed with no struggles to face. Some reject His will with sadness, like the rich young ruler who went away grieved. Some grow angry; they say Beethoven was found in death with his fists clenched as if to strike God. But the supreme example is the acceptance of God's will by Jesus in Gethsemane. He had given everything to the kingdom, and now it seemed all was lost; His struggle was so great that drops of blood fell from His face. Yet He won the victory when He prayed, "Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done." Why trust that will? Because God knows the future when we cannot — not psychics or horoscopes, but the God who knows the way that we take (Job 23:10). Because He knows what is best — a stained-glass window looks dull from outside but glorious from within (Romans 8:28). Because His will is to bless — Joseph told his brothers, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20). And because His will is sovereign and ordained (Ephesians 1:11); Jonah tried to resist, and learned that resistance is futile.

Utupe Leo Riziki Yetu ya Kila SikuGive Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Baada ya kutufundisha kuomba kuhusu jina la Mungu, ufalme wa Mungu, na mapenzi ya Mungu, Yesu anageukia mahitaji yetu: "Utupe leo riziki yetu" — yaani mkate wetu wa kila siku. Kuna mpangilio hapa ambao hatupaswi kuukosa. Maombi huanza na Mungu kabla hayajaanza na sisi. Ni baada tu ya kuomba, "Mapenzi yako yatimizwe," ndipo tuko tayari kuomba ipasavyo, "Utupe."

Yesu anatufundisha kuomba mkate wa kila siku. Mkate unawakilisha mahitaji ya kawaida ya maisha. Mungu anajali si tu yale tunayoyaita mambo ya kiroho, bali pia mahitaji ya kila siku ya watoto wake. Tumealikwa kuleta mahitaji hayo kwa Baba yetu.

Lakini angalia kwamba Yesu anatufundisha kuomba mkate wa kila siku. Ombi hili ni kielelezo cha kumtegemea Mungu daima. Mara nyingi tungependa Mungu atupe usalama wa kutosha leo ili tusilazimike kumtumaini kesho. Badala yake Yesu anatufundisha kuishi tukimtegemea Baba yetu siku kwa siku.

Pia kuna tofauti muhimu kati ya ombi linalosema "Nipe" na lile linalosema "Unifanye." Mwana mpotevu alianza kwa kusema, kwa maana nyingine, "Baba, nipe." Hatimaye alipozinduka, mtazamo wake ulibadilika: "Unifanye kama mmoja wa watumishi wako." Hakuna kosa kumwomba Mungu atupe tunachohitaji. Yesu anatuamuru waziwazi kufanya hivyo. Lakini maombi ya Kikristo hayawezi kuishia hapo. Maombi yaliyokomaa huuliza si tu, "Bwana, utanipa nini?" bali pia, "Bwana, unataka kunifanya kuwa nini?"

Ndiyo sababu "Utupe leo riziki yetu" linakuja baada ya "Mapenzi yako yatimizwe." Tunaomba kwa ujasiri riziki kutoka kwa Mungu huku tukibaki tumejisalimisha kwa makusudi ya Mungu.After teaching us to pray about God's name, God's kingdom, and God's will, Jesus turns to our needs: "Give us this day our daily bread." There is an order here that we should not miss. Prayer begins with God before it begins with us. Only after we have prayed, "Your will be done," are we ready to pray properly, "Give us."

Jesus teaches us to ask for daily bread. Bread represents the ordinary necessities of life. God is concerned not only with what we call spiritual matters but also with the everyday needs of His children. We are invited to bring those needs to our Father.

But notice that Jesus teaches us to ask for daily bread. The prayer is an expression of continuing dependence upon God. We would often prefer for God to give us enough security today that we would not have to trust Him tomorrow. Jesus teaches us instead to live in daily dependence upon our Father.

There is also an important difference between a prayer that says "Give me" and one that says "Make me." The prodigal son began by saying, in effect, "Father, give me." When he finally came to himself, his attitude changed: "Make me as one of your hired servants." There is nothing wrong with asking God to give us what we need. Jesus specifically commands us to do so. But Christian prayer cannot end there. Mature prayer asks not only, "Lord, what will You give me?" but also, "Lord, what do You want to make of me?"

That is why "Give us this day our daily bread" belongs after "Your will be done." We ask confidently for God's provision while remaining surrendered to God's purposes.

Utusamehe Deni Zetu, Kama Sisi Nasi Tulivyowasamehe Wadeni WetuForgive Us Our Debts, As We Forgive Our Debtors

Kisha Yesu anatufundisha kuomba, "Utusamehe deni zetu, kama sisi nasi tulivyowasamehe wadeni wetu." Huenda hili ndilo ombi linaloleta usumbufu zaidi katika sala nzima kwa sababu Yesu anaunganisha mambo mawili ambayo wakati mwingine tungependa kuyatenganisha: msamaha tunaotaka kupokea na msamaha tulio tayari kutoa.

Robert Louis Stevenson aliwahi kuanza kusali Sala ya Bwana wakati wa ibada ya familia lakini akasimama na kutoka chumbani. Mke wake alipomfuata na kumwuliza kama alikuwa mgonjwa, alijibu kwamba hakuwa mgonjwa, ila hakustahili kusali Sala ya Bwana siku ile. Alielewa ugumu wa kusali kwa moyo mweupe, "Utusamehe deni zetu, kama sisi nasi tulivyowasamehe wadeni wetu," huku akiwa na roho isiyosamehe.

Yesu aliona jambo hili kuwa muhimu kiasi kwamba mara tu baada ya Sala ya Kielelezo alirudi kwenye jambo hilo:

"Kwa maana mkiwasamehe watu makosa yao, na Baba yenu wa mbinguni atawasamehe ninyi. Bali msipowasamehe watu makosa yao, wala Baba yenu hatawasamehe ninyi makosa yenu" (Mathayo 6:14–15).

Lazima tuwe waangalifu hapa. Hatupati msamaha wa Mungu kama malipo kwa kumsamehe mtu mwingine. Wokovu ni kwa neema ya Mungu. Lakini mtu aliyeonja msamaha wa Mungu hawezi kwa amani kudai kupokea rehema huku akikataa daima kuwapa wengine rehema.

Inasemekana Jenerali Oglethorpe aliwahi kumwambia John Wesley, "Mimi sisamehe kamwe." Wesley akajibu, "Basi natumaini hutatenda dhambi kamwe." Jibu lake linafichua mgongano huo. Kila Mkristo anaishi kwa msamaha. Hatuwezi kusimama mbele za Mungu tukiomba rehema kwa ajili yetu wenyewe huku tukisisitiza hukumu kali kwa kila mtu aliyetuumiza.

Kutosamehe pia hujenga vizuizi. Ni kama kubomoa daraja ili kumzuia adui asivuke, kisha baadaye kugundua kwamba sisi wenyewe tunalihitaji daraja hilo hilo. Kila mmoja wetu atahitaji kuvuka daraja la msamaha mara nyingi katika maisha yake.

Kusamehe hakumaanishi kujifanya kwamba uovu haukutokea. Hakufanyi kosa kuwa sawa, na si lazima kuondoe kila matokeo. Kusamehe maana yake ni kuachilia haki yetu ya kujilipizia kisasi na kukataa kuruhusu uchungu ututawale.

Kwa hiyo mtu anayesali Sala ya Bwana anaomba miujiza miwili: "Baba, unisamehe — na unifanye kuwa mtu wa aina anayeweza kusamehe."Jesus next teaches us to pray, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." This may be the most uncomfortable petition in the entire prayer because Jesus connects two things we would sometimes prefer to keep separate: the forgiveness we want to receive and the forgiveness we are willing to give.

Robert Louis Stevenson once began praying the Lord's Prayer during family worship but stopped and left the room. When his wife followed and asked whether he was ill, he replied that he was not fit to pray the Lord's Prayer that day. He understood the difficulty of sincerely praying, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," while harboring an unforgiving spirit.

Jesus considered this so important that immediately after the Model Prayer He returned to the subject:

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:14–15).

We must be careful here. We do not earn God's forgiveness by forgiving someone else. Salvation is by God's grace. But a person who has experienced God's forgiveness cannot comfortably insist upon receiving mercy while permanently refusing mercy to others.

General Oglethorpe once reportedly told John Wesley, "I never forgive." Wesley replied, "Then I hope you never sin." His answer exposes the contradiction. Every Christian lives by forgiveness. We cannot stand before God pleading for mercy for ourselves while insisting upon strict judgment for everyone who has injured us.

Unforgiveness also builds barriers. It is like destroying a bridge to prevent an enemy from crossing, only to discover later that we ourselves need that same bridge. Every one of us will need to cross the bridge of forgiveness many times during our lives.

Forgiveness does not mean pretending that evil did not happen. It does not make wrong right, and it does not necessarily remove every consequence. Forgiveness means surrendering our claim to personal vengeance and refusing to allow bitterness to control us.

The person who prays the Lord's Prayer is therefore asking for two miracles: "Father, forgive me—and make me the kind of person who can forgive."

Usitutie Majaribuni, Lakini Utuokoe na Yule MwovuLead Us Not into Temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil

Mwishowe Yesu anatufundisha kuomba, "Na usitutie majaribuni, lakini utuokoe na yule mwovu." Hili ni ombi la mtu anayeelewa udhaifu wake mwenyewe.

Maisha ya Kikristo hayakukusudiwa kamwe kuishiwa bila kumtegemea Mungu. Tunahitaji riziki ya Mungu kwa mahitaji yetu ya kimwili, msamaha wake kwa makosa yetu, na ulinzi wake katika mapambano ya kiroho tutakayokabili.

Ombi hili halimaanishi kwamba Mungu hutujaribu ili tutende dhambi. Bali tunakiri kwamba majaribu ni halisi na kwamba hatuthubutu kuyakabili tukitegemea nguvu zetu wenyewe peke yake. Tunamwomba Mungu atuongoze mbali na majaribu na atulinde na nguvu za uovu.

Yesu aliomba jambo linalofanana sana kwa ajili ya wanafunzi wake. Hakumwomba Baba awaondoe ulimwenguni. Aliomba kwamba Baba awalinde na yule mwovu. Kwa hiyo jibu la Kikristo kwa uovu si kukimbia tu. Tumeitwa kuishi kwa uaminifu ulimwenguni huku tukimtegemea Mungu atulinde.

Kuna unyenyekevu katika ombi hili. Mtu anayeamini, "Mimi kamwe nisingefanya jambo hilo," tayari yuko mahali pa hatari. Mwanafunzi wa Yesu anajua vya kutosha kuhusu udhaifu wa kibinadamu hata akaomba, "Baba, unilinde. Uniongoze. Unihifadhi."

Yesu mwenyewe alionyesha utegemezi huo. Kabla ya maamuzi muhimu aliomba. Wakati wa shinikizo aliomba. Mateso yalipokaribia, aliomba. Na huko Gethsemane, akiukabili msalaba, ombi lake hatimaye likawa la kujisalimisha kikamilifu kwa Baba: "Walakini si mapenzi yangu, bali yako yatendeke."

Hilo linairudisha Sala ya Kielelezo pale ilipoanzia. Tunaomba riziki, msamaha, na ulinzi, lakini chini ya kila ombi linabaki lile ombi, "Mapenzi yako yatimizwe."

Kwa hiyo Sala ya Bwana ni zaidi sana ya kanuni ya maneno ya kukariri. Inatufundisha jinsi ya kuishi mbele za Mungu: tukimtegemea kwa riziki ya leo, tukipokea na kutoa msamaha wake, na tukimtumaini kwa nguvu dhidi ya majaribu ya kesho.Finally Jesus teaches us to pray, "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." This is the prayer of someone who understands his own weakness.

The Christian life was never intended to be lived independently of God. We need God's provision for our physical needs, His forgiveness for our failures, and His protection for the spiritual struggles we will face.

This petition is not suggesting that God tempts us to sin. Rather, we are acknowledging that temptation is real and that we dare not face it depending solely upon our own strength. We are asking God to guide us away from temptation and to protect us from the power of evil.

Jesus prayed something very similar for His disciples. He did not ask the Father to remove them from the world. He prayed that the Father would protect them from the evil one. The Christian answer to evil is therefore not simply escape. We are called to live faithfully in the world while depending upon God to keep us.

There is humility in this prayer. The person who believes, "I would never do that," is already in a dangerous position. The disciple knows enough about human weakness to pray, "Father, keep me. Guide me. Protect me."

Jesus Himself demonstrated that dependence. Before important decisions He prayed. In times of pressure He prayed. When suffering approached, He prayed. And in Gethsemane, facing the cross, His prayer ultimately became one of complete surrender to the Father: "Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done."

That brings the Model Prayer back to where it began. We ask for bread, forgiveness, and protection, but underneath every petition remains the prayer, "Your will be done."

The Lord's Prayer is therefore much more than a formula to recite. It teaches us how to live before God: depending upon Him for today's provision, receiving and extending His forgiveness, and trusting Him for strength against tomorrow's temptation.

"Kwa Kuwa Ufalme Ni Wako, na Nguvu, na Utukufu""Thine Is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory"

Sifa hii ya kufunga haipatikani katika nakala za kale zaidi za maandiko; inaeleweka vizuri zaidi kama hitimisho la sifa, likirudia ombi la Daudi, "Ee BWANA, ukuu ni wako, na uweza, na utukufu... na ufalme" (1 Mambo ya Nyakati 29:11). Ufalme ni wake, kama tulivyoona. Nguvu ni zake — Yesu aliwaambia wanafunzi wangoje Pentekoste ili wapokee nguvu; kuna nguvu katika ufufuo na nguvu katika damu yake. Msimamizi mmoja wa ukataji miti alimwuzia mkulima msumeno wa injini akimhakikishia kwamba ungeangusha miti hamsini kwa siku; mkulima, akiwa amechoka kabisa, aliurudisha akisema kwamba uliweza kukata miti mitatu tu kwa shida — hadi msimamizi alipovuta kamba na msumeno ukanguruma, "Bzzz!" "Kelele hiyo ni nini?" akalia mkulima. Vivyo hivyo nguvu za Mungu zinapatikana kwetu, lakini hatujui jinsi ya kuzifikia. Kama Papa Inosenti wa Nne alivyomwambia Akwino, alipomwonyesha hazina za Vatikani, "Hatuwezi tena kusema, pamoja na Petro, fedha na dhahabu sina" — naye Akwino akajibu, "Ndiyo, lakini hatuwezi tena kusema, kwa jina la Yesu, simama uende." Na utukufu ni wake — utukufu ni udhihirisho wa utakatifu wa Mungu. Musa aliomba, "Nakuomba unionyeshe utukufu wako," naye Mungu akauficha uso wake (Kutoka 33:18–23), kwa kuwa "Nitatakaswa" (Mambo ya Walawi 10:3). Wataalamu wa nyota waliwahi kuorodhesha nyota yenye mwanga mkubwa kuliko zote zilizowahi kupatikana, R136a1 — si mara mbili, si mara elfu, bali mamilioni ya mara yenye mwanga zaidi kuliko jua letu. Iite Nyota ya Yesu, kwa kuwa alisema, "Mimi ni ile nyota yenye kung'aa ya asubuhi" (Ufunuo 22:16). Mwimbaji wa rap wa Kikristo Lecrae aliwahi kujaribu kununua fulana ya kawaida akakuta inauzwa dola mia sita na arobaini, kwa kuwa jina la mbunifu lilikuwa juu yake. "Je, unajua jinsi ulivyo wa thamani," aliuliza, "kwa sababu ya jina la Yule lililo juu yako?" Tunabeba sura ya Mungu (Mwanzo 1:27), tumeumbwa ili tutende matendo mema (Waefeso 2:10), tuangaze nuru yetu na kumtukuza Baba yetu (Mathayo 5:16). Na wapanda milima fulani katika milima ya Alps, walipofika kilele chenye upepo mkali, walivutwa chini na kiongozi mzoefu aliyewaonya, "Huku juu, mahali pekee palipo salama ni kwa magoti yako." Kwa hiyo sala hii inayoanza na "Baba yetu" na kumalizika na "Kwa kuwa ufalme ni wako, na nguvu, na utukufu" inayaweka maisha yetu yote kati ya ukaribu wa Mungu kama Baba na utukufu wake wa enzi kuu — isaliwe si kama maneno matupu bali kama kielelezo, na iishiwe kama "Mapenzi yako yatimizwe."This closing doxology is not found in the oldest manuscripts; it is best understood as an epilogue of praise, echoing David's prayer, "Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory... and the kingdom" (1 Chronicles 29:11). The kingdom is His, as we have seen. The power is His — Jesus told the disciples to wait at Pentecost for power; there is power in the resurrection and power in His blood. A logging foreman sold a farmer a chainsaw guaranteed to fell fifty trees a day; the exhausted farmer brought it back, saying it could barely manage three — until the foreman pulled the cord and it roared, "Bzzz!" "What's that noise?" cried the farmer. So God's power is available to us, but we do not know how to access it. As Pope Innocent IV said to Aquinas, showing him the treasures of the Vatican, "We can no longer say, with Peter, silver and gold have I none" — to which Aquinas replied, "Yes, but no longer can we say, in the name of Jesus, rise up and walk." And the glory is His — glory is the manifestation of God's holiness. Moses asked, "Show me your glory," and God hid His face (Exodus 33:18–23), for "I will be shown holy" (Leviticus 10:3). Astronomers once cataloged the brightest star ever found, R136a1 — not twice, not a thousand times, but millions of times brighter than our sun. Call it the Jesus Star, for He said, "I am the bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16). The Christian rapper Lecrae once tried to buy a plain T-shirt and found it cost six hundred and forty dollars, for the designer's name was on it. "Do you know how valuable you are," he asked, "because of Whose name is on you?" We bear the image of God (Genesis 1:27), created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10), to let our light shine and glorify our Father (Matthew 5:16). And some climbers in the Alps, reaching a wind-blown summit, were pulled down by an experienced guide who warned, "Up here, the only safe place is on your knees." So this prayer that begins "Our Father" and ends "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory" frames our whole life between God's fatherly nearness and His sovereign majesty — to be prayed not as empty words but as a pattern, and lived out as "Thy will be done."

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