“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
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Dr. John Timothy Stone tells of a visit which he paid to the old church of Robert Murray McCheyne. The aged sexton showed him around. Taking Dr. Stone into the study, he pointed to a chair and said, “Sit there; that is where the master used to sit.” Then he said, “Now put your elbows on the table.” This was done. “Now bow your head upon your hands.” Dr. Stone did so. “Now let the tears flow; that is the way the master used to do.”
The visitor was then taken up into the pulpit, and the old sexton said, “Stand there behind the pulpit.” Dr. Stone obeyed. “Now,” said the sexton, “lean your elbows on the pulpit and put your face in your hands.” This having been done, he said, “Now let the tears flow; that is the way the master used to do.”
When one of the disciples said, “Teach us to pray,” the Lord raised His eyes to the far horizon of His Father’s world. He brought the ultimate goal of eternal life together with everything God desires to do in the life of humankind and packed it all into a powerful prayer that followed these words: “This, then, is how you should pray” (Matthew 6:9). And what a contrast between His prayer and what we often hear today!
How do we pray when we follow the desires of our own hearts? We say, “Lord, bless me, then my family, my church, my city, and my country.” We start with those closest to us and gradually move outward, ultimately praying for the expansion of God’s kingdom throughout the world.
It is not part of the life of a natural man to pray. We hear it said that a man will suffer in his life if he does not pray; I question it. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a man is born from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve that life or nourish it.
Prayer is the way the life of God is nourished. Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.
When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
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