.jpg)
7/ In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
8/ Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9/ "This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
The example of what Christian prayer should be like contrasts it now not with the prayer of the hypocrites but with that of the pagans. Their babbling probably means their reciting a long list of divine names, hoping that one of them will force a response from the deity.
It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray. You may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that does not pray. If prayerless, then graceless.
The Scribes and Pharisees were guilty of two great faults in prayer, vain-glory and vain repetitions. Verily they have their reward; if in so great a matter as is between us and God, when we are at prayer, we can look to so poor a thing as the praise of men, it is just that it should be all our reward.
Yet there is not a secret, sudden breathing after God, but he observes it. It is called a reward, but it is of grace, not of debt; what merit can there be in begging? If he does not give his people what they ask, it is because he knows they do not need it, and that it is not for their good.
So far is God from being wrought upon by the length or words of our prayers, that the most powerful intercessions are those which are made with groanings that cannot be uttered. Let us well study what is shown of the frame of mind in which our prayers should be offered, and learn daily from Christ how to pray.
Christ saw it needful to show his disciples what must commonly be the matter and method of their prayer. Not that we are tied up to the use of this only, or of this always; yet, without doubt, it is very good to use it.
It has much in a little; and it is used acceptably no further than it is used with understanding, and without being needlessly repeated.
The petitions are six; the first three relate more expressly to God and his honour, the last three to our own concerns, both temporal and spiritual.
This prayer teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and that all other things shall be added.
After the things of God's glory, kingdom, and will, we pray for the needful supports and comforts of this present life. Every word here has a lesson in it. We ask for bread; that teaches us sobriety and temperance: and we ask only for bread; not for what we do not need. We ask for our bread; that teaches us honesty and industry: we do not ask for the bread of others, nor the bread of deceit, Pr 20:17; nor the bread of idleness, Pr 31:27, but the bread honestly gotten. We ask for our daily bread; which teaches us constantly to depend upon Divine Providence. We beg of God to give it us; not sell it us, nor lend it us, but give it. The greatest of men must be beholden to the mercy of God for their daily bread. We pray, Give it to us. This teaches us a compassion for the poor. Also that we ought to pray with our families. We pray that God would give it us this day; which teaches us to renew the desires of our souls toward God, as the wants of our bodies are renewed.
As the day comes we must pray to our heavenly Father, and reckon we could as well go a day without food, as without prayer. We are taught to hate and dread sin while we hope for mercy, to distrust ourselves, to rely on the providence and grace of God to keep us from it, to be prepared to resist the tempter, and not to become tempters of others.
Here is a promise, If you forgive, your heavenly Father will also forgive. We must forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren. Christ came into the world as the great Peace-maker, not only to reconcile us to God, but one to another.
2 comments:
HOW we approach *GOD* BEGINS with the SINCERITY of our heart, and the respectful regard for HIS HIGH standing! And, we should ALWAYS remind ourselves that HE KNOWS BEFORE we do, our needs, thus, in FAITH we can move forward, unhindered, and comforted by the FACT of HIS knowledge of us, body, mind, heart, and spirit, and HIS guidance in our lives! We TRUST HIM as THE LORD *GOD* ALMIGHTY TO HAVE SOVEREIGN DOMINION over our lives entirely! PRAYER is more than petitioning, it is DIRECT communication, and opening UP to HIM, be that for ourselves, or others, be that totally silent, or spoken! PRAYER is a BOND between *GOD*, THE HOLY SPIRIT, and us, and should be HONEST, in every aspect!!!
{Any solution must being with the reminder that answers to prayer are grounded in God's graciousness and faithfulness to his promises, not in the petitioner's rights.}
*GOD'S* WILL REMAINS HIS WILL! PATIENCE, and FIRM TRUST we MUST retain, as well as understanding of HIS right to grant, or to deny! That HE might deny anything to one of HIS own, surely, has SOUND reason, and so, as we PRAY we must respect HIS WAYS...
Post a Comment