Thursday April 11, 2013

Read Matthew 6:9-10

Not having grown up in a Christian home, I’d never been in a church where Lord’s Prayer was prayed each Sonday so you can imagine my surprise when, as a new minister in my first parish, a particular member chided me for leaving out the Lord’s Prayer so regularly.

 

Of course the danger of praying the prayer weekly is that we can easily fall into autopilot praying - the words roll out of our mouth but our hearts are still dreaming of next week’s multimillion dollar Lotto win. Conversely, the danger of not praying the Lord’s prayer is falling into disobedience. Jesus taught us what not to do in prayer, namely praying in vain glory and in vain repetition but He also taught us what we should do , namely praying the Lord’s Prayer.

 

But before we turn to the actual words of the prayer instituted by Jesus, we need to realise that the prayer was intended for corporate prayer. The pronouns (our, we , us etc) are all plural suggesting that this prayer was a corporate prayer not an individual, behind closed doors type prayer.

 

The first part of the Lord’s prayer protects us from both errors mentioned above. The opening words of the prayer reorient our heart and mind to God. We are set right when we pray the opening words. We are praying to God, our Father in heaven.  Our prayers are directed to His Majesty who sits in the highest heavens and watches over all the earth. Fear, awe and wonder well up as we realise who we are praying to.

 

When we pray ‘hallowed be your name’ we are asking that God’s name be glorified and lifted up. We are asking that the world stand in the same majesty and awe of God that we ourselves have come to. Selfish prayers, flippant prayers and half hearted prayers have no place before the God whose name is hallowed.

 

As we pray, ‘thy kingdom come’ we are praying that the Lord’s rule would extend over the entire world. But of course it starts with us. “Lord rule over me and rule over my heart and then rule over this world”, is what we are praying.  We are asking that God would extend His Lordship over all peoples, over all situations, over all evil and wickedness and rebellion.

 

When we pray, ‘Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ we are inviting God to work in His way in this world and in the situations that I find myself in. We are asking that the sovereign Lordship and the fearful respect given to God by the heavenly beings be extended to all the earthly beings.  But when we pray this prayer and then tell God how to fix all our problems we are inadvertently praying, ‘My will be done on earth as it is in heaven’.

 

Can you see how the opening lines of the Lord’s Prayer prevents both errors? As I focus on God and His will, His kingdom and His hallowed name my heart and my perspective are set right. They point to God instead of to me and my needs.

 

I simply cannot regurgitate such a prayer from a stone-crusted heart. I simply cannot make route praying a reality when I glimpse at God’s grandeur.  And if I am not praying for God’s will and God’s glory then there is a high chance that God will neither hear nor answer my prayers.

What a great way to start our prayers - focussing on God and seeking His will, His glory and His kingdom to come upon us and our world.  Be encouraged as you pray the Lord’s prayer.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ If you are in cell, pray the Lord’s prayer together.

¥ Pray for the Reformed Bible College in Myanmar. Ask God to grow and stretch the students as they seek to learn His Word and be equipped to minister in their country. Pray that God would grant the college all it needs to continue ministering and serving and training up pastors and preachers.

 

Jesus Challenge:

As a cell group plan an all night prayer vigil from say Friday afternoon to Saturday mid morning.

Assign different people in your cell to gather prayer points for different people and ministries. Collate them and send out before hand.

Assign another person to incorporate times of worship into the prayer vigil and another to organise devotionals throughout the night.

be creative and perhaps try fasting for the entire vigil.

 

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. How often do you pray the Lord’s prayer? Explain your answer.

2. Should a church pray the Lord’s prayer each and every week? Defend your answer.