The Disciple's Prayer

(#1007, Imperial, 1963)

Read Matthew 6:9-13.

This prayer has been commercially called the Lord's Prayer but it might be more fitly called the Disciple's Prayer.  It is the prayer He taught His disciples when they asked Him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1ff).  It is doubtful our Lord meant His disciples to use these exact words but to use it as a pattern.

Looking at the structure of the prayer we find...

w    It begins with worship and ends with praise.

w    There are 7 requests divided into 2 categories...

    1.  3 petitions concerning God.

    2.  4 petitions concerning ourselves.

At first sight and to the casual observer there seems to be little in it of Christianity.  The Lord Jesus Christ is not spoken of, there is no thought that we are forgiven by the blood, etc.  The fact is however that this prayer is full of the Lord Jesus Christ, from the first phrase when we realize we cannot come to God the Father except through Jesus Christ.  The "Amen" at the end likewise reminds us that Christ is the great AMEN!

ƒ      The beginning -

w    The prayer is begun with His Name Our Father.  This relationship of "father and son" is dependent upon birth into the family (Gal. 3:26).  All true prayer begins when I claim my relationship with the Father.

w    Prayer puts the glory of God first.  Note: Thy name, Thy kingdom, Thy will comes first; then "give us our daily bread, etc."  So often in our praying we reverse the order.

ƒ      Hallowed be Thy Name -

Prayer starts with worship.  To hallow is to pronounce holy, to esteem, to give honor.  His name is hallowed when we ...

w    Honor our relationship with Him.

w    Live - walk - act for His glory in every friendship, association, cherished ambition, book I read, TV program I view, habit I form, pleasure I seek.  

Failure to hallow God's name brings reproach on Him (Rom. 2:24), whereas when His name is hallowed in our lives others see His character expressed in our lives.

Hallowed be Thy Name.