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Matthew 6:9,10
Prayer is the heart-to-heart communion with
God. Beyond the sound of our words in prayer, our thoughts, attitude and
desires are very significant. They give meaning to the words we say before God.
So, prayer goes beyond the use of the right words. One may use the right words in
prayer, but if the heart, attitude and dispositions are wrong before God, the
prayer becomes empty babbling, the babbling of a hypocrite.
For instance, I cannot say: “Our” if I
live a selfish, self-centred life, living only for myself. Nor can I say “Father”
if my name is not in the Book of Life, in the family book of God in heaven. How
can I say: “our Father which art in heaven” if I am laying up no
treasure up there, if my heart and interests are all buried in earthly things?
None is eligible to say: “Hallowed be Thy Name” if he is not
daily striving, endeavouring to honour God alone in all he says and does. To
say those words with any meaning before God we must, by words and deeds, be
living daily in holiness. I cannot say: “Thy kingdom come” if I
am not doing all in my power to hasten the coming of that kingdom, if I am not
preparing for the arrival of the King. I cannot truly say: “Thy will be
done” if I am deliberately rebelling against the revealed will of God
in His Word. To pray from the heart, not merely from the head, our hearts must
be united with God and His Word.
1. SANCTIFYING THE NAME OF GOD
Matthew
6:9; Isaiah 29:23,24; Exodus 20:7; Psalms 111:9; 29:2; 86:9-11; Ezekiel
36:21-28; 2 Timothy 2:19.
From the Greek, “hallowed
be Thy Name ” means, ‘holy, sanctified, exalted, honoured be Thy
Name’. To hallow the name of God is to count it as sacred, so set apart
that we hold the matchless name of God in reverence. To hallow the name of God
is to honour it, esteem it, reverence and adore it as divine and infinitely
higher than any other name. It means that we “make no mention of the name
of other gods” (Exodus 23:13; Joshua 23:7) but we always “praise
the LORD, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention
that His name is exalted ” (Isaiah 12:4).
To hallow the name of God
is to so respect it that you will not blaspheme the name, you will not take
God’s name in vain or encourage others to take the name in vain (Exodus 20:7).
Hallowing the name of God means that we so live, walk and work every time and
everywhere “that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed”
(1 Timothy 6:1). If “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
through you” (Romans 2:24), then you do not honour or hallow His name.
We hallow, sanctify God’s name when we honour, esteem, exalt, adore, reverence
that name and live in such a way that our neighbours respect God’s name and
everything pertaining to God. Only then can we truly pray: “Our Father
which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
2. SUPPLICATION FOR THE REIGN OF GOD
Matthew
6:10; Mark 1:14,15; John 3:3-8; Romans 14:17-19; Matthew 6:33; Luke 19:11-13;
21:31-36; Revelation 11:15.
To pray, “Thy
kingdom come” shows a desire for the arrival of God’s kingdom by a
person who is completely dissatisfied with all the kingdoms of the world. We
are eager to see the soon establishment of the kingdom of God to replace all
earthly kingdoms. The one who prays, “Thy kingdom come” has
experienced the peace of the Kingdom in his own heart; so, he desires this
peace of the Kingdom for others and in the whole world. His prayer, “Thy
kingdom come” is an expression of his willingness to do anything, to
labour and to serve, to work alone and with others, to see to the establishment
of God’s kingdom. He has surrendered to God’s rule and reign in his own heart
and life; and he desires God to reign as King in all realms of mankind.
It takes deadness to self
to pray like this because quite often, our prayers are filled with our own
kingdoms, our own reign, our desires, aspirations and ambitions. Only those who
have been transformed by the power of God’s grace and the change of heart has
led to a complete abandonment of personal agenda for personal kingdom can
truthfully and sincerely pray, “Thy kingdom come.” For the true
believer, all that is within his heart cries out, “Thy kingdom come.”
He desires the King of kings to reign in his heart and on earth.
3. SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD
Matthew
6:10; Psalm 103:19-21; Matthew 7:21-23;1 John 2:15-17; Ephesians 6:6-8;
Psalms
143:10; 40:8-10; John 9:31; 1 John 5:14,15.
“Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” God desires that His will be done by each of His children on
earth, by all believers in Christ, by the whole church on earth, by all people
on earth, as it is done by all angels in heaven. God’s desire and Christ’s
provision through His full redemption is that each of us will know and do His
will without any interruption as angels do His will in heaven. This is proof
that our holiness and sanctification is His will. Nor is it God’s will that
Christians be partially holy. “This is the will of God, even your
sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Holiness of heart and life is
the will of God. Holiness in individuals and in the whole Church is the will of
God. When the kingdom of God is established in our hearts and God reigns as
King without a rival, our consuming desires and passion will be to do the will
of God, always and all the days of our lives. Also in our prayers, we ask only
“according to His will.” We do not want to have whatever is not
His will for us. His perfect will, not a permissive will, is our desire and
prayer. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy
Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”-from Bible Study outline
"Our Father" Don Moen
Be blessed by the Bible Study this week!
-Charity
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