'And it came to pass, as He was praying in a
certain place, that when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord,
teach us to pray.'--LUKE xi. 1.
THE disciples had been with
Christ, and seen Him pray. They had learnt to understand something of the
connection between His wondrous life in public, and His secret life of prayer.
They had learnt to believe in Him as a Master in the art of prayer--none
could pray like Him. And so they came to Him with the request, 'Lord,
teach us to pray.' And in after years they would have told us that there
were few things more wonderful or blessed that He taught them than His lessons
on prayer.
And now still it comes to pass, as He is praying in a
certain place, that disciples who see Him thus engaged feel the need of
repeating the same request, 'Lord, teach us to pray.' As we grow in
the Christian life, the thought and the faith of the Beloved Master in His
never-failing intercession becomes ever more precious, and the hope of being
Like Christ in His intercession gains an attractiveness before unknown.
And as we see Him pray, and remember that there is none who can pray like
Him, and none who can teach like Him, we feel the petition of the disciples,
'Lord, teach us to pray,' is just what we need. And as we think how all He
is and has, how He Himself is our very own, how He is Himself our life, we feel
assured that we have but to ask, and He will be delighted to take us up into
closer fellowship with Himself, and teach us to pray even as He prays.
Come, my brothers! Shall we not go to the Blessed
Master and ask Him to enrol our names too anew in that school which He always
keeps open for those who long to continue their studies in the Divine art of
prayer and intercession? Yes, let us this very day say to the Master, as
they did of old, 'Lord, teach us to pray.' As we meditate, we shall find
each word of the petition we bring to be full of meaning.
'Lord,
teach us to pray.' Yes, to pray. This is what we need
to be taught. Though in its beginnings prayer is so simple that the
feeblest child can pray, yet it is at the same time the highest and holiest work
to which man can rise. It is fellowship with the Unseen and Most
Holy One. The powers of the eternal world have been placed at its
disposal. It is the very essence of true religion, the channel of all
blessings, the secret of power and life. Not only for ourselves, but for
others, for the Church, for the world, it is to prayer that God has given the
right to take hold of Him and His strength. It is on prayer that the
promises wait for their fulfilment, the kingdom for its coming, the glory of God
for its full revelation. And for this blessed work, how slothful and unfit
we are. It is only the Spirit of God can enable us to do it aright.
How speedily we are deceived into a resting in the form, while the power
is wanting. Our early training, the teaching of the Church, the influence
of habit, the stirring of the emotions--how easily these lead to prayer which
has no spiritual power, and avails but little. True prayer, that takes
hold of God's strength, that availeth much, to which the gates of heaven are
really opened wide--who would not cry, Oh for some one to teach me thus to
pray?
Jesus has opened a school, in which He trains His
redeemed ones, who specially desire it, to have power in prayer. Shall we
not enter it with the petition, Lord! it is just this we need to be taught! O
teach us to pray.
'Lord, teach us to pray.'
Yes, us, Lord. We have read in They Word with what power Thy
believing people of old used to pray, and what mighty wonders were done in
answer to their prayers. And if this took place under the Old Covenant, in
the time of preparation, how much more wilt Thou not now, in these days of
fulfilment, give Thy people this sure sign of Thy presence in their midst.
We have heard the promises given to Thine apostles of the power of prayer
in Thy name, and have seen how gloriously they experienced their truth: we
know for certain, they can become true to us too. We hear continually even
in these days what glorious tokens of Thy power Thou dost still give to those
who trust Thee fully. Lord! these all are men of like passions with
ourselves; teach us to pray so too. The promises are for us, the
powers and gifts of the heavenly world are for us. O teach us to
pray so that we may receive abundantly. To us too Thou hast entrusted Thy
work, on our prayer too the coming of Thy kingdom depends, in our prayer too
Thou canst glorify Thy name; 'Lord teach us to pray.' Yes, us, Lord; we
offer ourselves as learners; we would indeed be taught of Thee. 'Lord,
teach us to pray.'
'Lord, teach us to pray.'
Yes, we feel the need now of being taught to pray. At first
there is no work appears so simple; later on, none that is more difficult; and
the confession is forced from us: We know not how to pray as we ought.
It is true we have God's Word, with its clear and sure promises; but sin
has so darkened our mind, that we know not always how to apply the word.
In spiritual things we do not always seek the most needful things, or fail
in praying according to the law of the sanctuary. In temporal things we
are still less able to avail ourselves of the wonderful liberty our Father has
given us to ask what we need. And even when we know what to ask, how much
there is still needed to make prayer acceptable. It must be to the glory
of God, in full surrender to His will, in full assurance of faith, in the name
of Jesus, and with a perseverance that, if need be, refuses to be denied.
All this must be learned. It can only be learned in the school of
much prayer, for practice makes perfect. Amid the painful consciousness of
ignorance and unworthiness, in the struggle between believing and doubting, the
heavenly art of effectual prayer is learnt. Because, even when we do not
remember it, there is One, the Beginner and Finisher of faith and prayer, who
watches over our praying, and sees to it that in all who trust Him for it
their education in the school of prayer shall be carried on to perfection.
Let but the deep undertone of all our prayer be the teachableness that
comes from a sense of ignorance, and from faith in Him as a perfect teacher, and
we may be sure we shall be taught, we shall learn to pray in power. Yes,
we may depend upon it, He teaches to pray.
'Lord, teach us to pray.' None can teach
like Jesus, none but Jesus; therefore we call on Him, 'LORD, teach us to pray.'
A pupil needs a teacher, who knows his work, who has the gift of teaching,
who in patience and love will descend to the pupil's needs. Blessed be
God! Jesus is all this and much more. He knows what prayer is.
It is Jesus, praying Himself, who teaches to pray. He knows what
prayer is. He learned it amid the trials and tears of His earthly life.
In heaven it is still His beloved work: His life there is prayer.
Nothing delights Him more than to find those whom He can take with Him
into the Father's presence, whom He can clothe with power to pray down God's
blessing on those around them, whom He can train to be His fellow-workers in the
intercession by which the kingdom is to be revealed on earth. He knows how
to teach. Now by the urgency of felt need, then by the confidence with
which joy inspires. Here by the teaching of the Word, there by the
testimony of another believer who knows what it is to have prayer heard.
By His Holy Spirit, He has access to our heart, and teaches us to pray by
showing us the sin that hinders the prayer, or giving us the assurance that we
please God. He teaches, by giving not only thoughts of what to ask or how
to ask, but by breathing within us the very spirit of prayer, by living within
us as the Great Intercessor. We may indeed and most joyfully say, 'Who
teacheth like Him?' Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only
how to pray. He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but
much of praying well. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how
to speak to man. Not power with men, but power with God is the first
thing. Jesus loves to teach us how to pray.
What
think you, my beloved fellow-disciples! would it not be just what we need, to
ask the Master for a month to give us a course of special lessons on the art of
prayer? As we meditate on the words He spake on earth, let us yield
ourselves to His teaching in the fullest confidence that, with such a teacher,
we shall make progress. Let us take time not only to meditate, but to
pray, to tarry at the foot of the throne, and be trained to the work of
intercession. Let us do so in the assurance that amidst our stammerings
and fears He is carrying on His work most beautifully. He will breathe His
own life, which is all prayer, into us. As He makes us partakers of His
righteousness and His life, He will of His intercession. too. As the
members of His body, as a holy priesthood, we shall take part in His priestly
work of pleading and prevailing with God for men. Yes, let us most
joyfully say, ignorant and feeble though we be, 'Lord, teach us to
pray.'
'LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.'
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Blessed Lord! who ever livest to pray,
Thou canst teach me too to pray, me too to live ever to pray. In this Thou
lovest to make me share Thy glory in heaven, that I should pray without ceasing,
and ever stand as a priest in the presence of my God.
Lord
Jesus! I ask Thee this day to enrol my name among those who confess
that they know not how to pray as they ought, and specially ask Thee for a
course of teaching in prayer. Lord! teach me to tarry with Thee in the
school, and give Thee time to train me. May a deep sense of my ignorance,
of the wonderful privilege and power of prayer, of the need of the Holy Spirit
as the Spirit of prayer, lead me to cast away my thoughts of what I think I
know, and make me kneel before Thee in true teachableness and poverty of
spirit.
And fill me, Lord, with the confidence that with such a
teacher as Thou art I shall learn to pray. In the assurance that I have as
my teacher, Jesus who is ever praying to the Father, and by His prayer rules the
destinies of His Church and the world, I will not be afraid. As much as I
need to know of the mysteries of the prayer-world, Thou wilt unfold for me.
And when I may not know, Thou wilt teach me to be strong in faith, giving
glory to God.
Blessed Lord! Thou wilt not put to shame Thy scholar
who trusts Thee, nor, by Thy grace, would he Thee either.
Amen.