One of my favorite things to do in the evening is to watch the TV game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. I figure that it doesn’t hurt to improve my mind by solving puzzles and guessing answers to varied and obscure questions. However, several weeks ago I was literally shocked at what happened on that question/answer show. The category of one of the series of questions was about Biblical knowledge, and the easiest question – the one worth $200 – asked, “What is the missing word in this statement: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, (blank) be thy name.'” The contestants had to buzz in and put the correct answer in the blank which was, “What is hallowed.” The silence was deafening. None of the three people who had been selected for this televised program due to testing and superior knowlege had the answer to probably the most famous prayer in the world. I couldn’t believe it! My mind was filled with questions.

Was this an anomaly, something that goes against the norm, or do a lot of people today not have basic Biblical knowledge? Is the most fundamental prayer of all time, which Jesus taught His disciples, now largely unknown? Do we still teach it to our children? If the Lord’s Prayer is unknown, is Jesus’ teaching of the most important of God’s commandments also missing to many – the one about loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:37)? Maybe that above all else explains the condition of the world today and people in general. Obviously days later I’m still troubled enough to write about this situation and liken it to actual jeopardy for so many. May God help us to focus on and learn about Him.

God bless – Sue