Manipur: Forgive Us As We Also Forgive

The Lord's prayer is the prayer that I prayed or rather recited the most during my school days in Manipur. Growing up in a Christian environment, this prayer has been recited over and over again in almost every Christian meeting. Be it in a family prayer, church meeting, or even in a school assembly, this prayer has been memorized by most Christians and can be recited at any moment in time. This is the only prayer, perhaps, that needs no preparation. It just comes out naturally. Even in the slip of tongue, this prayer will be recited flawlessly. But the sad truth is, it is just a piece of formal and religious prayer. The application and experience of this prayer are the need of the time. This is a very urgent need now in Manipur, especially for those who know and pray the Lord's prayer.

The Manipur mayhem has manifold interpretations depending upon who interprets it. The reasons behind these ethnic clashes are varied. It is hard to fully believe in one party's interpretation. Some political, some religious, some social, and even some economical. Maybe a blend of all. No matter what, at least one of the warring parties is a professing Christian, if not the other. I myself am a "tribal" by Government categorization, and a Christian by faith. I never believed in being a "tribal." I believe in being a man created by God equally like any other human. And more importantly, I am a child of God, a Christian. My belief is purely on the word of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. I stand by my faith in Jesus Christ and the holy word of God. To me, there is only one supreme Authority, God. And only one holy Book, the Holy Bible. Since the Bible taught me the Lord's prayer, I believe in it and I pray that this prayer be my living as well. But what is the content of the prayer? 

Our Father who is in the heavens, Your name be sanctified;

Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

For if you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;

But if you do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.  Matthew 6:9-15

Your name be sanctified

For the Father's name to be sanctified, the believers who are the children of the Father God must be sanctified. Sanctification is separation from the world outwardly and transformation from the natural man inwardly. For this prayer to be true and real, today's Christians, be it tribal or non-tribal alike, must abstain from anything sinful and worldly. Such as the present civil war, ethnic clashes, mob violence, rioting, looting, burning, and killing.

Your kingdom come

For the Father's kingdom to come, today's Christians, be it tribal or non-tribal alike, must seek the kingdom of the Father, not fight for the kingdom on the earth. God never promised His children an earthly kingdom. On the contrary, He taught His children to pray for His kingdom to come down to the earth, and not build a kingdom on the earth. So this prayer itself annuls the need to fight for the so-called "motherland", for there is none. We only have the Father's kingdom, our Fatherland coming down to the earth.

Your will be done

For the Father's will to be done, today's Christians, be it tribal or non-tribal alike, must seek only the will of the Father, not their tribal or non-tribal's will, not even the natural human good will, nor even the government's will. But only God's will.

Even if the Lord's prayer be only these few phrases, "Your name be sanctified; Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth," there is no need for vengeful retaliation at least from the professing Christians' side.

Furthermore, the prayer says, "Do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Should this prayer be sincerely prayed, all the Christians should overcome the temptation of the enemy to give an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, but be delivered from the indulgence into this temptation. 

Now a very important word of the Lord Jesus from the Holy Bible:

For if you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;

But if you do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.

If we are being wronged and offended, then we must forgive those who wrong us and offended us. If we wrong or offend others, then we must ask for forgiveness from those whom we wronged or offended. Only then the Father will also forgive us our wrongs and offenses.

And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us into temptation. Luke 11:4

My daily prayer for Manipur these days has been for God the Father to bind His enemy who instigated and committed this mayhem through lawless and Godless men. So that, the God of peace may reign over the entire state and bring in mass forgiveness by the Father's divine love. 

Prayer for Christians

I pray for the Christians to pray the Lord's prayer again with all truthfulness that this prayer indeed be their living testimony as well. If wronged, forgive; if wrong, ask forgiveness. And may this turn out to the revival of all the professing Christians.

Prayer for Non-Christians

I pray for the non-Christians to be saved. That the eyes of their darkened mind be enlightened to see and know the living and loving God who desires all men to be saved and for whom the Lord Jesus Christ has died an all-inclusive death for the redemption of all mankind to those who believe.

Lord, bring peace to the people of Manipur! Let love prevail and let there be forgiveness by Your forgiveness. Have mercy on us all, Lord! 

Lord, forgive us our sins as we also forgive those who sin against us!