Page 25 - The Importance of Prayer Student Textbook

What our Lord was saying is; I am about to give you an outline of how to pray. It is an outline and
nothing more. Don’t think that if you memorize this prayer and repeat it word for word, repeatedly, that
these actions will cause me to answer you. Meaningless repetition signifies a dependence on oneself to
manipulate or badger God into compliance. This is why he began the first sentence of His instructions
with these words… After this manner therefore pray ye: The Lord’s Prayer is intended to be used as a
pattern for the servants of His kingdom. The pattern of meaningful prayer is to begin by majoring on the
person and nature of God and His kingdoms interest, coming to personal request and needs only
secondary.

Matthew 6:9-13 KJV

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy

kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 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
evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Our Father which art in heaven…

Every book or commentary I consulted spoke about how when Jesus taught His followers to say, “Our
Father” He introduced the most unique opening line in the history of prayer. According to David
Jeremiah the term Father was only used fourteen times in the Old Testament and every time it was used
to refer to God as the father of the Israel nation, not in a personal way. According to R. C. Sproul a
careful search of Jewish literature cannot find one reference to the Jewish culture referring to God
directly as the Father in prayer until the 10 century AD. When Jesus referred to God as His Father, the
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Jews became enraged. They understood that by calling God His Father, He was making Himself equal
with God. (John 5:18) By addressing God in this familiar form, Jesus was indicating a profound sense of
intimacy between Himself and God, showing that He was the unique Son of God. Yes, He is the only one
who has the inherent right to address God as “Abba, Father” (Mark14:36). But when He gave His
disciples this model prayer, He invited them to use that personal form of address, which indicates an
intensely familiar filial (son or daughter) relationship. Of course, not only does the Son give us the right
to address God as Father, but the Holy Spirit, as He assists us in our prayer lives, prompts us to cry,
“Abba, Father”! (Galatians 4:6)

Elmer Towns writes in Praying the Lord’s Prayer for Spiritual breakthrough that when Jesus taught the
disciples about prayer, He was instructing them to call God by a new name, “Our Father”. Jesus gave
them a new revelation about the Lord God of Israel. God was no longer far off. He could be
approachable as an intimate Father. No name, title or description of God was an intimate as this name,
Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15, Mark 14:36) J. I. Packer says in his book Praying the Lord’s Prayer that it
must have startled the disciples, for in Judaism calling God “Father” was something one did not do. Jesus
directs us, however, to do it – in other words, to seek access and welcome to God’s presence on the
grounds that we are children in His family, and He looks on us with a father’s love. I John 3:1 Behold
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God.

Also, notice that from the very first phrase the Lord’s Prayer schools us in intercession for the family’s
needs; “Our Father…give us…forgive us…lead us…deliver us…” “Us” means more than just me! For
God’s child, prayer is no “flight of the alone to the alone,” but concern for the family is built into it.

He goes on to say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. How do you see God? The
vitality of prayer lies largely in the vision of God that prompts it. Drab thoughts of God make prayer dull.
John Calvin said that, “God’s name should be hallowed is to say that God should have His own honor of

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