31st August 2023
Christ’s teaching on prayer
“This, then, is how you should pray…”
Matthew 6:9 (NIV)
I remember being asked by a young member of our congregation how they should approach the practice of prayer. After some consideration I concluded that I could do worse than to quote the very words of Jesus Christ on the subject, which can be found in Matthew 6: 9-13. Whilst discussing this wonderful passage of scripture I was struck by two points in particular:
First, the brevity and succinctness of Christ’s instructions. Secondly, the amount of information and knowledge contained in the first two verses (vv.9-10) alone.
In verse 9 Jesus instructs us to pray to our Father, who is in heaven: ‘hallowed be your name…’. That is to say that we should long for God’s name, His glory, and His true identity, to be revealed to everyone on earth. The prophet Isaiah received a glimpse of this glory in a vision recorded in Isaiah 6:1-3, where the Lord Almighty is seated on a throne in heaven. Above Him were seraphim calling to each other: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (v.3). What an inspiring opening to all of our prayers.
Continuing in Matthew 6:10, we are taught by Christ to pray, ‘…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ Let’s consider the enormity of what Jesus has said in this single verse:
First, we should pray for the fullness of God’s reign to be over the whole earth, which clearly it isn’t now, evidenced by the wilfulness and wickedness extant throughout the world. Is this not a real encouragement for all of us to pray fervently for the fullness of God’s kingdom to come soon? Secondly, Matthew 6:10 goes on to encourage us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven. How wonderful to know that Christ Jesus will fully rule as the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6). Revelation 5:13 states ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing, and honour, and glory, and might, forever and ever.’ In heaven God’s name is honoured and adored in unceasing worship
May we all pray according to Christ’s teaching contained in these verses in Matthew 6:9-10 and appreciate more fully the beauty and wealth of the teaching from our Saviour Jesus Christ, contained in the scriptures of our Bible.
Prayer
Father in heaven, we long for the time when the entire world will acknowledge your glory and come to appreciate the grace to be found in Jesus Christ alone. Please hasten Jesus’s return to install the fullness of your Kingdom and restore peace and love throughout the earth. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Bob Beggs
About the writer:
Bob Beggs is a Minister in the Lisburn congregation of Grace Communion International, Northern Ireland, where he also serves on the Pastoral Council.
Local congregation:
Grace Communion Lisburn
Ballymacbrennan School House
129A Saintfield Road
Lisburn
Northern Ireland
BT27 5PG
Meeting time:
Sunday 11am
Local congregational contact:
Bob Beggs
Email: bobbeggs@hotmail.com
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church