Psalms 31:1-3, 16:2, and Praise Him, Praise Him, Jesus, our Blessed Redeemer (Fanny — 1869)
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Matthew 6 and Luke 11 to contemplate His model prayer.
Matthew 6:9 ¶ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Luke 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
These passages present the same lesson on prayer given on separate occasions. Matthew’s account presents this prayer within His Sermon On the Mount. It was in the early part of His public ministry, in Northern Israel, near Syria (Matthew 4:23-24). Luke’s account is later in Jesus’ ministry, after His transfiguration (Luke 9, see Matthew 17), after He had spent some time in the home of Martha and Mary, in Bethany, probably in the nearby Mt. of Olives (Luke 10:38). The “certain place” (Luke 11:1) is likely the garden of Gethsamene, where Jesus was “wont” (accustomed) to retire for prayer (Luke 22:39).
There are differences between the two lessons, but the only outstanding distinction is that Luke does not include the doxology: “For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13b, compare Luke 11:4).
Along the still waters, the Spirit impressed on me something He has been bringing to my attention almost every time I have exercised my spirit with this model prayer the last week, something I do every morning: this is an intercessory prayer.
An intercessory prayer petitions God on behalf of others. Although the model prayer includes the person praying in the intercession, the petitioner is not taught to pray for “I, me, or mine” but for our. It’s addressed to “our” Father, asking for “our daily bread,” forgiveness of “our debts,” and to lead “us” not into temptation, but to deliver “us” from evil.
Much is rightly made of the fact that this prayer is especially suitable for believers. It is often called “the disciple’s prayer.” This is premised almost entirely upon the opening line: “Our Father.” It is believed that none can pray this prayer unless they are children of God. I don’t dispute this, but I would like to point out that Paul agreed with a heathen poet who said all mankind are the “offspring” of God (Acts 17:28-29).
Furthermore, Paul did exhort us to intercede for all men: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men” (1 Timothy 2:1). This exhortation includes the desire of God that “all men be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Nevertheless, it should be pointed out that the word translated offspring differs from the word translated born in that offspring denotes one that came from another, while born denotes one endendered by another. All mankind are God’s offspring by Creation, but only those are His children who are born to Him by His Spirit. While the collective pronouns “our,” and “us” no doubt apply to those in whom is the Spirit crying “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6), we may include all our brothers in Adam in the scope of our intercession.
We would that all who are hungry would receive their daily bread, and that all sinners would receive His forgiveness. We would that every “ruler” would be kept from temptation and delivered from evil and acknowledge their place under Him to whom is “the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.”
When Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us to be intercessors, to stand before God on behalf of not only ourselves but also our brothers and sisters in Christ and on behalf of “all men” (1 Timothy 2:1).
In the valley, I stood in the shadow of His cross, hands raised, and without fear or doubting (1 Timothy 2:8), as he would have “men” to pray every where. I remembered Christ’s invitation to Peter, James, and John to watch with Him in Gethsamene (Matthew 26:38), and soon after He pleaded with them: “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40). I thought of how Simon (Peter) was not there to take up His Cross, so another Simon, of Cyrene, was compelled to take his place (Matthew 26:75; Matthew 27:32).
He called: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). I answered!
At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His sufficient grace. Goodness and mercy followed as we went into the harvest.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
Great insight on Peter