I am so impressed with the "Book of Faith" initiative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (Check out www.bookoffaith.org)

This morning was Day 1 in Book of Faith Lenten Journey: 40 Days with the Lord's Prayer. Some excerpts --

(Referring to Matthew 6:9) "Jesus responds, 'Pray then in this way,' and then he teaches what we call the Lord's Prayer -- words repeated so often for so long that they may have lost their edge for us. Many of us have become numb to their meaning, insensitive to the radical nature of this ancient and yet modern prayer.

"'Pray then in this way...' These are not words of friendly advice from a gentle wisdom figure encouraging us to develop our own personal piety. Rather they are words of command spoken to people who have been chosen to follow Jesus in God's mission and who have freely accepted that remarkable calling. We lose the full force and effect of this prayer if we do not hear the words 'Pray then in this way' as marching orders for people chosen for the mission of God -- the mission of bringing justice and love, forgiveness and redemption into the world's sin and suffering and death....

"The reality encompassed in the Lord's Prayer is not a pretty picture but one of heavy conflict....The prayer that our Lord taught us cannot be prayed in just any way and with just any attitude. it presupposes a perception of this world's tragedy."

Great stuff, stimulating, provocative! This is going to be anything but an innocuous, boring devotional guide through the Lenten journey.

A blessed Ash Wednesday to you.