The prayer, commonly known as The Lord’s Prayer, was formulated in response to a request (cf. Luke 11:1) by the disciples on how to pray. Because the instruction came from the lips of Jesus it has become a rote formalized piece of prose repetitiously spoken at many religious occasions and observances. In fact, if we had just a cent for every time the prayer has been repeated verbatim around the world in, say, the last ten years, we would be rich. I believe it is almost needless to say that this has been a perversion of the Lord’s intention for giving it. In fact, its use might come under the condemnation of Matt.,6:7 – vain repetitions. Inasmuch as it was given in response to a disciple’s request, it might be more appropriate to call it The disciples prayer, but I suspect that wouldn’t change anything with respect to its use.
Notice Matt.6:9 – after this manner – Christ was not giving something to be repeated verbatim, but rather offering a model prayer for His disciples to gain an understanding of the sort of things that should be prayed about and the manner in which it is to be presented. This is a beautiful prayer, comprising just a few sentences, and it has a hold on vast sections of mankind which few other forms of words have. Having said that, Jesus gave the prayer for our contemplation and analysis, and so it is certainly not a waste of time to consider it.
It is a filial prayer. He begins with Our Father, thus defining prayer as a child speaking to its father. Israel was told she was God’s child (Hos.11:1; Deut. 14:1), and the Christian has the same, even better, promises in that direction (Acts 2:38 – receive the Spirit: cf Rom. 8:14-17 abba (Hebrew) father (Greek)). You see young boys lining the race from the change rooms to the field, wanting to get a glimpse of their footy heroes. For some to get an autograph is the biggest thrill. We are allowed to call God Father. All men belong to the family of man, but the Christian belongs to a special group within that extended family who have the privilege of being in the family of God. This is the God who designed this universe and fashioned it is six days (Ex. 20:11) – this is a Mighty God! A Lord may own, a god may be mighty, a Creator may be powerful, a Provider may be benevolent and Jehovah is all these, but He is also FATHER – and a father is a father because of his expression of love and his desire to share with his children. Islam has 99 names for God, but father is not one of them.
When Jesus began this prayer with Father, He not only did it to state a fact, but to encourage confidence and hope. We are not wrestling for a blessing with a reluctant tyrant; we are not pleading to placate an angry God – we are communing with a Father. Martin Luther had problems calling God Father because his father in the flesh was a tyrant, but perversions of fatherhood do not detract from Jesus’ use of Father. In fact, Jesus emphasized that God was a better father than our earthly fathers from whom we got our concepts concerning the love and care of fatherhood – (Matt.7:7-11).
The prayer has a fraternal spirit. He did not say “my Father” but rather “Our Father”. If God is “our” Father then we are brothers and sisters. When Jesus prayed alone He called God His Father (Matt.26:39), but He expresses this fraternal spirit on this occasion as He leads His disciples in prayer. And prayer ought to be fraternal in spirit. Many times we ask selfishly, not considering the needs of others. We all have personal needs and we ought to pray for these things, but we ought not to act as Esau and Jacob did, vying for their father’s blessing at the expense of the other. Would it be reasonable to pray for a fine day for a picnic when there has been a prayer-meeting for rain for a thousand desperate farmers in drought? And why pray for your favourite football team to win when it means loss for someone else?
It has a reverential spirit – who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. In prayer we pray to the God of Heaven, the Eternal One. Note Rom.13:7 …….render honour to whom honour is due. If this is true of politicians, what can we say about reverence for the controller of the entire universe? Some have mistaken the idea of God as Father to be an overly-familiar thing. Possibly this may come from a disrespectful concept of their earthly father. Eph. 6:1,2; Heb. 12:9 – your father is not “the old man”. Hallowed comes from the same root word as holy. We could translate it thus – sacred is thy name. I heard of a man who led a public prayer by saying, Hi Dad. Such cheapness is not to be entertained in prayer. It is true Christians can come boldly before the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16), but this is the idea of confidently because of Christ our Mediator. God is indeed our loving Father, but He is to be lovingly respected (Ps.89:7).
It has a missionary spirit. Thy Kingdom come. We need to make a note here that at the time of this prayer, Christ had not ascended to the throne to rule over His kingdom (cf. Matt.3:1,2; 4:17). The kingdom came on Pentecost after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33; Col. 1:13). This is another reason why the prayer is not to be blindly repeated. However we do learn of the missionary spirit that is to characterize our prayers. We need to be soul-conscious in praying (Jas. 4:3). Some examples of the proper content in prayer are found in Acts 4:24-29 and Matt. 9:35-38. There are so many works and individuals that need to be prayed for in this vein.
The prayer also has an obedient spirit. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. This would be a better and happier world if all would determine in their lives to do the will of God, and that all prayer would revolve around the unselfish hub of requesting God to do with us what He wants to do with us in our lives. God works in this world through people, particularly through His people, and He has a plan and destiny for every child of His – through prayer according to His will and obedience to the Bible we find that plan and destiny. Every human father has plans for his children to do well in life – even so God with His children. Perhaps this is the most courageous part of prayer (cf. Matt. 26:39,42). You know that took courage for Jesus because He knew what His obedience required, but aren’t you glad He did? Aren’t you glad God performed His will in the life of Christ in allowing Him to go to the cross? Half the New testament, and with the exception of Christ, perhaps the most inspiring example of living the Christian life comes to us by Paul. Why? One reason is found in 2 Cor. 12:7-10. Who knows what might have happened to Paul had he not been content with God’s will for his life?
It has a dependent spirit. Give us this day our daily bread. “Bread” here denotes anything and everything we need to sustain our lives. It is significant that personal needs come last – in keeping with the order laid down in Matt.6:33. It also implies daily prayer. God’s decree in Gen. 3:19 has lost some perspective for us who .live in urban areas. Also we’ve lost to some degree that awareness of our dependence upon God for sustenance. We tend to think that the supermarket is God, and as long as the shop is open we have no need to pray for God for our daily needs. In an agricultural society the worker is very much aware of his relationship with the natural world and the natural world’s God. He is close to the soil, the weather and the grain. He knows he is at the mercy of the elements and therefore more aware of his need for God’s mercy and blessing. Of course, this aspect of prayer is not meant to promote laziness (cf. Gen. 3:19; 2 Thess. 3:10; Prov. 28:9). Note the prayer habit of Jesus in Mark. 1:35-37 – …now if He felt dependent….?
It has a forgiving spirit. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us. The word “forgiven” has been defined as the most beautiful word in any language. It is also something we all desire (1 John 1:9). Jesus illustrated the need for a forgiving spirit in prayer in the parable in Matt. 18:23-35. If we do not forgive others we destroy the bridge we have to cross ourselves.
It has a longing spirit. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Here is a longing for righteousness – a desire for God’s help to be God-like. Some have been confused by this statement Lead us not into temptation as if God would – cf. Jas. 1:13. Rather suffer us not to be led into temptation (Luke22:40) is a better expression of the intent of the thought. In one way temptation is desirable and beneficial (Jas. 1:2,3), but the expression entering into temptation carries with it the idea of giving way to temptation and embracing sin.. To deliver us from evil is to supply the way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). I am weak, Satan is mighty, but God is Almighty! Pray for His help to live daily the Christian life.
It has a trusting spirit. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever. This last section serves as a fitting end to the prayer, for truly, all power and glory belongs to God. But it is also a declaration of the reason for the credibility of prayer. If the kingdom, power and glory did not belong to God forever, what would be the point pf prayer? (cf Isa. 44:14-17; Jas. 1:6,7; Heb. 11:6). Prayer is rational and reasonable for thine is the power! Consider God’s power – Isa. 40:22,26; Ps. 8:3,4; Ps. 33:6,8,9.
Until we have prayed, responsibility for failure or success rests with us: after we have prayed and if we are obedient, responsibility rests with God and defeat is impossible.