Links for earlier posts in this prayer series are here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
The Lord's Prayer, Our Model, Vol. 3
We're back to our study of the Lord's Prayer this week, exploring the first three petitions:
1) Hallowed be Thy name; 2) Thy kingdom come; 3) Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
These petitions are related in that they all include the keyword Thy. Our first lesson here is that our prayers should focus first on God and on His Kingdom. Now, if you're desperate to speak to Father--we're all desperate at times, aren't we?--he's certainly not going to be fussy about the form of your prayer. Generally speaking though, focus first on God. His kingdom is more important than even of our individual problems. Intentionally structuring our prayers this way helps put our problems in perspective.
These petitions are alike in another way, too. They all ask for the return of Christ. This is a hard thing, depending on how close we are to Father, or on how much we've suffered in this life. We must remember.....we are supposed to want Christ to return, right now. That means, we shouldn't hope that our baby is born first, or that we'll get married before he comes, or that we'll move into a new home and plant that coveted garden before he comes. Those are earthly matters. Temporary. This is not our home...we are pilgrims here.
So, we are directed to pray for Christ's return. This too, helps us gain perspective.
When you think about it, don't many of our sins arise from a lack of perspective? Complaining, selfishness, ungratefulness, impatience, self-indulgence....they are all related to lack of perspective....a me focus. The Lord's Prayer speaks to this problem in our lives. The structure and meaning of it help us get over ourselves, so we can obey the greatest commandment.
Matthew 22:35-37
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
All prayer, done rightly, adjusts our gaze....taking it off of ourselves, and putting it squarely on the Father.
Now we'll go through each of these three petitions individually, starting with Hallowed by They Name, explained below by G. Hugenberger (because he's a theologian, and I'm clearly not):
Lastly, we'll consider Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, explained by G. Hugenberger also:
The last three petitions, to be discussed next time, all share the keyword us.
~ Give us this day our daily bread
~ And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
~ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.
The Lord's Prayer, Our Model, Vol. 3
We're back to our study of the Lord's Prayer this week, exploring the first three petitions:
1) Hallowed be Thy name; 2) Thy kingdom come; 3) Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
These petitions are related in that they all include the keyword Thy. Our first lesson here is that our prayers should focus first on God and on His Kingdom. Now, if you're desperate to speak to Father--we're all desperate at times, aren't we?--he's certainly not going to be fussy about the form of your prayer. Generally speaking though, focus first on God. His kingdom is more important than even of our individual problems. Intentionally structuring our prayers this way helps put our problems in perspective.
These petitions are alike in another way, too. They all ask for the return of Christ. This is a hard thing, depending on how close we are to Father, or on how much we've suffered in this life. We must remember.....we are supposed to want Christ to return, right now. That means, we shouldn't hope that our baby is born first, or that we'll get married before he comes, or that we'll move into a new home and plant that coveted garden before he comes. Those are earthly matters. Temporary. This is not our home...we are pilgrims here.
So, we are directed to pray for Christ's return. This too, helps us gain perspective.
When you think about it, don't many of our sins arise from a lack of perspective? Complaining, selfishness, ungratefulness, impatience, self-indulgence....they are all related to lack of perspective....a me focus. The Lord's Prayer speaks to this problem in our lives. The structure and meaning of it help us get over ourselves, so we can obey the greatest commandment.
Matthew 22:35-37
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
All prayer, done rightly, adjusts our gaze....taking it off of ourselves, and putting it squarely on the Father.
Now we'll go through each of these three petitions individually, starting with Hallowed by They Name, explained below by G. Hugenberger (because he's a theologian, and I'm clearly not):
In more modern English with this petition we are simply praying “may Your name be held holy”. The Scriptures teach that God will finally and decisively vindicate the holiness of His name only when Jesus Christ comes again (Romans 2:24; Isaiah 52:5.6; Ezekiel 36:21-23; Philippians 2:9-11). From that point God’s name will never again be dragged though the mud, whether by His own people or by His enemies. For this reason when we pray this petition, we are in fact praying for the return of the Saviour.
It is clear, however, that God can answer this plea in a more limited way by afresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit who is mighty to help His people honor the name of God (rather than continue to be a reproach to His name) and to grant repentance to those outside who still despise His name (Acts 15:14; Romans 10:13ff.; John 12:28).Next, we'll consider Thy Kingdom Come, also explained by G. Hugenberger:
Here in the most blatant way we are asking for our Lord’s return (Matthew 6:33; Revelation 22:20; II Timothy 4:1,18; Matthew 25:34; Daniel 7).
Nevertheless this petition also may be answered in a more limited way in this life through the work of the Holy Spirit subduing the hearts of men allowing Christ’s Kingly reign to be effective there. (Romans 14:17,18; Colossians 1:11-14; Romans 8:23; II Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14). Indeed, the Holy Spirit is the pledge and foretaste of the Kingdom of God, our heavenly inheritance.
Lastly, we'll consider Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, explained by G. Hugenberger also:
As with the first two petitions, this one also can only be finally and decisively answered with the return of Christ --- only then will God’s Will be done on earth with the wholehearted love and joy that is found in heaven. (II Peter 3:13; I Corinthians 15:24-28; I John 3:20). Obviously this is not meant to deny that God sovereignly rules over all things even in this life (Psalm 99; Ephesians 1:11)—the point is that only then will the obedience be conscious and willing, in a universe purified of every taint of fallenness.
Once again in a partial way this petition also may be answered now through the work of the Holy Spirit convicting men of sin (John 16: 8-11) and securing righteousness in believers (I Peter 1:2; Galatians 5:16-25) and effecting various miracles of healing and blessing as were accomplished through our Lord Jesus (Matthew 12:28; John 1:32 – and as continues by the church, I Corinthians 12:10).
The last three petitions, to be discussed next time, all share the keyword us.
~ Give us this day our daily bread
~ And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
~ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.
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