A Benedictine monastery was constructed in the year 1043 in Coventry, England, a hundred miles north of London. Four hundred years later, a cathedral was built in the town, then known for its commerce and industry.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Coventry was noted for its watch and clock-making industry. Eventually, the town became the center of Britain’s motor and aviation industry. Then, on the night of November 14, 1940, the Nazi’s dropped 500 tons of explosives and 40,000 firebombs during eleven hours. In the German’s attempt to wipe out the town in one attack, some 1400 people were killed or injured.

Among the many buildings destroyed by the bombing, the Coventry Cathedral lay in ruins, except for some prayer panels preserved during the war. The prayer panels represented various industries in the town. In the mid-1950’s, work began on a new structure next door to the old site.

Upon completion in 1962, the prayer panels that had been preserved reminded the people of Coventry of God’s presence in their daily lives. The panels read,

“Hallowed be Thy Name in Industry; God be in my hands and in my making. Hallowed be Thy Name in the Arts; God be in my senses and in my creating.

“Hallowed be Thy Name in the Home; God be in my heart and in my loving. Hallowed be Thy Name in Commerce; God be at my desk and in my trading.

“Hallowed be Thy Name in Suffering; God be in my pain and in my enduring. Hallowed be Thy Name in Government; God be in my plans and in my deciding.

“Hallowed be Thy Name in Education; God be in my mind and in my growing. Hallowed be Thy Name in Recreation; God be in my limbs and in my leisure.”

Reading the prayers on the panels reminded me of the Apostle Paul’s words in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

We tend to compartmentalize our faith into church activities and then everyday activities. But our faith and the Scriptures should guide all the areas of our lives. We need to invite God to be with us, not just for worship in our churches; but also in our homes, at our jobs, and even in our recreation.

We need to integrate our “faith into the nitty-gritty details of Monday through Saturday,” as Chuck Colson has put it. Theologian Eugene Peterson states, “…what is believed in the heart (is) to have demonstrable consequences in our daily lives.”   Perhaps Rick Warren, author and minister, summed it up, “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.”

I’ve heard it said and found it to be true, “A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to come unraveled.” You could begin your day by praying, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…..”

 

Jan White is an national award-winning religion columnist. She can be reached at jwhite@andycable.com