Teach Us to Pray

When Jesus gave his disciples the prayer which we have come to call the 'Lord's prayer' He set new standards of prayer and showed them a new approach to prayer.

Prayer with understanding

Prayers of pagans to their gods were long and mechanical. They believed that their prayers were effective by their continuous repetition of the same old formulae. "O Baal hear us," shouted on Mount Carmel, was typical and the apparent sarcasm of Elijah was not without foundation. The ancient gods were no more than glorified humans with all the infallibility and passion of the great leaders of men. The patterns of chanting which men used to these deified humans were expected to work like charms, or else, like the unjust judge, to bring about action through losing patience. Nothing which we know about the compassion and patience of our mighty God, who is always righteous and holy, was known to the vast majority of pagan worshippers.

Jesus' instruction showed clearly the intelligent manner to approach a God who knows all things including the things which we personally need. It was not that we should attempt to remind God of the things we need or persuade him that we want something. Yet the fact that he knows about our needs does not exclude us from making a request. Prayer is the opportunity for us to have fellowship with God. By entering into this communion with him we become aware of his will, we share his love and we bring ourselves into alignment with his purpose. Our intercession for others, our thanks for the Father's gifts, and confession of our faults, is all part of our spiritual growth and understanding.

Personal growth in prayer, not display

"Lord teach us to pray" was a very important request by the disciples in view of the type of teaching they probably had up till this point. The Jewish religious leaders of the first century were frequently seen at street corners displaying their piety by praying. Their manner of dress, their posture and their manner of speech was an adopted stance to demonstrate to onlookers that they spent much time in prayer. Jesus turned their minds back to the Old Testament men of God, whose primary object in praying was to become aware that they were in God's presence. If we use any means at all to draw attention to ourselves in prayer we are in danger of adopting the same attitude as the Pharisees. Even parading the fact that the believer is hidden behind a locked door for a certain period each day could become disobedience to the words of Jesus in this matter. Anything that is done which deflects attention from the sole joy and purpose in prayer is defeating the Lord's desire for the disciple's growth in his prayer life. Anything which becomes a stereotyped prayer, and which is thought to be heard by God because it conforms to a special pattern, will prevent us from becoming totally absorbed into the will of God.

Private prayer

". ..when you pray," said Jesus, "go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen". This enables the child of God to concentrate completely on him. It is a wonderful privilege to have a trysting place which has God's blessing. Yet it is not necessary to have a room or some other place specially prepared to seek the Lord. A crowded train, a bus or a busy street can become a place of hallowed ground if there we are able to give ourselves wholly to him. Jesus sought a mountain, not because it was high or had some sacred connection, but the solitary place made it easier to shut off the busy world to be alone with his Father. Neither would he make himself and his own ideas the centre of attraction.

God as Father

The prayer which Jesus taught the disciples enshrined most, if not all the principles of prayer. He revolutionised their prayers by addressing God as Father. The idea of fatherhood was not unknown to the people of Israel (Psalm 89.26), but as the centuries rolled by He became for them an even more distant God, unknown and unknowable, except for those few devout souls who really drew near to God in their hearts. For Jesus it seemed natural to think about God as Father. Jewish boys at twelve or thirteen had their Bar Mitzvah. They became 'sons of the Law' and transferred their loyalty from their parents to the Law. Jesus had transferred his loyalty to the Heavenly Father and declared it publically in the words "Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house" (Luke 2.49 NIV). His confidant, his mentor and guide, the constant companion of his daily life was his Father in Heaven.

The One from whom Jesus drew his power and to whom he looked in danger and temptation was the One to whom the disciple could look now. My Father became Our Father and with it the recognition of brotherhood in Christ. It is difficult after two thousand years in which Christian people have been discovering God as their Father for his children in the twenty-first century to realise fully what this must have meant for the ancient people. For countless centuries before that, mankind had sought God but He appeared not to listen. It is clear from Cornelius' experience that God is not deaf to the cries of his creatures. They thought He didn't understand their pain ridden world and could not enter into their interests and feelings. He seemed too distant to notice their hopes and fears. Yet here was Jesus telling them to address the great Creator of the Universe as their "Father'.

Learning to wait in prayer

It is part of the Christian's growth in grace that we learn to wait upon God in prayer. And we must learn the lesson of the parable of the importunate widow. There is no need to find a mountain or a temple, but like Nehemiah of old, when there is an opportunity or need, we must 'send a sentence to Heaven'. It does not need to be a carefully worded prayer couched in 'special' language. God understands colloquial expressions such as 'sorry' and 'thanks'. Whether we are in front of an employer or employee, or the tradesman at the door, we need God's counsel all the time. Consciousness of the Father in the lonely and quiet moments has its effect in the busier times when folk are around. Only thus can a Christian guard against those offensive remarks and actions which do not reflect the glory of God. In the same way the child of God is prompted to say and do positive things which show that there is a God in Heaven who cares for the whole world. So may it be understood that He is more tender and forgiving than any earthly parent. He is not looking over His child's shoulder to criticise and bully. He remains at our side and waits for the sideways glance which can challenge us in every situation. "Jesus looked at Peter"; if only Peter had looked and caught that glance earlier! If only we would do so too! (Luke 22.61).

Reverence and the Name of God

"Hallowed be your name." Perhaps it hardly need be said that the name which speaks to us of all that is noble and true, good and right, is a name that can never be taken on the lips of a believer lightly. To the child of God it means so much more, for it is all that is patient and gentle, forgiving and generous. In the twenty-first century world it is becoming more and more common for people of all shades of belief at all, to use the name of God in a blasphemous way. Are those that surround the Christian aware that such abuse of the holy name is hurtful? Does the believer's life reflect true holiness which in itself 'hallows' the name of the Father?

Many years ago a saintly Christian lady always walked about her home quietly, concerned that the Master, present with her, should be offended by her blustering manner. Stumbling one of God's little ones is so easy. This is not the 'holier than thou' attitude of the outwardly pious religious folk. The kind of life which deliberately embarrasses unbelievers does nothing for the Master's cause. Religious Jews of Jesus' day were constantly expressing disgust for the unholiness of fallen brother Jews, and for the pagan Greeks and Romans. Their own holiness was a pretence Jesus called them 'play-actors' - and it was not a good witness for the Holy God they pretended to serve and worship.

Just before his death, Jesus prayed to the Father in these words, "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name -the name you gave me -so that they may be one as we are one" (John 17.11 NIV). What was the name that God gave to Jesus? Was it 'Jesus', which means 'the LORD saves'. God was also Israel's saviour. Paul wrote of him as being the saviour of all men (1 Tim.4.10). Does the passage in John 17 refer to Jesus' use of the name 'Father' which he was now passing on to the disciples? Or does it refer to the giving of a name by which Jesus was able to do his mighty works? They were to do miracles also 'in the name of Jesus'.

Belonging to the Father's family

Jesus was very concerned about leaving his disciples in a very unholy world. They needed to feel free to approach the Father in Heaven in his name about any kind of problem. The disciples must be able to go forth into the world without fear, to accomplish the task He was now giving them. As members of the people of Israel they would have known God by a variety of names, each distinctive and expressing the attributes and personality of God. These things spoke of what God was like. 'Father' expresses the relationship to God in a unique way. More than anything else Jesus wanted his disciples to share the oneness which he had with the Father. Only by so doing could they begin to understand the oneness which must exist between all true followers of the Lord. They are part of a brotherhood and yet in two thousand years of Church history, failure to develop this sense of unity has promoted divisions, separations and even conflict between those who are supposed to be in the Divine family. It is not part of the believer's prerogative to make judgments about fellow Christians or to separate themselves from them. Ultimately those who judge are judged by their own judgment, because such separation hinders the growth of spiritual life. Failure in communication with brethren in Christ causes failures in communication with God.

Kings and the kingdom

To pray "Thy kingdom come" recognises the inadequacy of the kingdoms of this world and the desire to see them superseded by a kingdom where injustice, deprivation and sorrow shall be unknown. Jesus said in his remarks to Pilate, one of the rulers of the world in which he lived, that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18.36). The nature of Jesus' reply shows that this kingdom was still future.

Through the apostles Jesus also taught that believers must pray for kings, princes and those in high authority. They fulfil a function in the purpose of God until he establishes the kingdom of Christ, when those nations will become part of that kingdom (Rom.13.1‑7; 1 Tim.2.1‑4; 1 Pet.2.13‑15). It must have been very difficult to pray for some of the Roman emperors and rulers, especially if born a Jew. It may also be difficult to pray for some of the citizens of the 'kingdoms' in which we live. But to ignore the needs of ordinary folk around us is to miss a part of Jesus' work while He was here. They too need our prayers so that they may see the witness of Jesus' love in our lives. In his prayer recorded in John 17 Jesus spoke of the unity of believers being a witness to the world that he was the Son of God (v.23).

God's will - doing it

Jesus taught the disciples to pray "Thy will be done". This was the driving force of Jesus' life. In Hebrews 10.5‑7 we read Christ's thoughts in which Psalm 40.6‑8 is quoted. This was the cry of the heart from Gethsemane and this is the attitude in which God's children make known their requests to him. Some words of Jesus recorded in John 14.13 are sometimes quoted as if there was no qualification to the expression "1 will do whatever you ask in my name". If the phrases which follow were to be quoted also, it would be seen that Jesus makes a limitation upon what we may ask. "So that the Son may bring glory to the Father.' In the next chapter of John's gospel, verse 7, we have another qualification "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you". Desires of our human nature and comforts for our physical bodies can only be acceptable if they promote spiritual growth in Christ. It is to God's glory that we live and for that purpose that we pray.

"Your will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven." It must be our longing that the whole of God's intelligent creation should find that fulfilment in the purpose of God. It should also be our longing that our words and actions are so much a part of God's purpose that we live here and now as part of his kingdom. It is only by prayer, persevering, importunate prayer, that the ideals will be realised in our lives.

Obedience

When Jesus was in the wilderness He was tempted to take the short cut to bring in the Kingdom rapidly by giving Satan the place that God should have in his life. The same kind of temptation must have been made more than once during his ministry. It definitely occurred as He hung on the cross, through the mouths of those who reviled him. What a dramatic and spectacular means of drawing all men to him! "Come down from the cross, if you are the son of God" (Matt.27.40). How that expression echoes the very words of Satan in the desert! God's will is not always easy. Our patience is exhausted; our ideas of glory are frustrated and like James and John of old we are eager to be seated on the right or the left of Jesus in the Kingdom. There are some things which Jesus cannot do and cannot ask on behalf of his followers. There are some things which the Apostle Paul could not understand and could not have. We need to learn that God's will must be done, not out of a sense of resignation or of great outward piety, but because our hearts are genuinely surrendered to God.

Jesus, the sinless son of God, needed to discover his will and to be given strength to do it. There is only one way to discover that will for us. With the Psalmist we must pray constantly "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God, may your good spirit lead me on level ground" (143.10). By the doing of that Will from the heart we shall show that we are truly the closest kin to the Master (Matt.12.50; Eph.6.6).