Prayer – Part Two
So, onward and upward we go. This month, I want to examine the example Jesus
gave in the scripture on prayer. Here it is:
Matthew 6v7-13, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans,
for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9"This, then,
is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.11Give us
today our daily bread. 12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our
debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil
one.
That’s it. 52 focused, concise words that, when heeded and applied correctly
based on the context in which they were delivered will have the desired affect
Jesus meant for them to have. But what is often pondered is, did Jesus mean
for his followers to only pray this very prayer? Is this the prayer he prayed
in the garden just prior to his crucifixion? If we pray another prayer, will
it go unheard by the Father in heaven? All very good questions, and all can
be answered with one answer – No. Jesus said, “This, then, is how
you should pray…” meaning this is to be the pattern, the motivation
and the focus of our intentions. Here’s my proof:
Matthew 26v36-43:
36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and
he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took
Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful
and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow
to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My
Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will,
but as you will."
40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you
men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41"Watch
and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but
the body is weak."
42He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible
for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
43When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.
44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying
the same thing.
Wow! How peculiar. First, he went off by himself, alone. Then, Jesus didn’t
pray for God to make him the head and not the foot; he didn’t pray for
God to bless him to be victorious; nor did he pray to have angels come carry
him away, or that Caesar would intervene, or Pontius Pilate would issue a reprieve,
any of which would have prevented the crucifixion. He simply prayed that the
Father’s will be done. And, he didn’t pray for two hours either,
proving that one does not need to pray a book to be heard by God.
Today, dare I say that none of these are present in the prayers commonly heard
in churches, religious gatherings, or on TV/Radio preaching shows. We hear prayers
to the basketball and football gods, the new car gods, the credit god, the new
clothes gods, the blessing god, the big, new house god, the good job god, the
please-don’t-let-me-choke-on-this-chicken-bone god, the parking space
god, the good-movie-seat-with-no-kids-behind-me-kicking-my-chair god…
Christians have missed not only the big picture, their snap shots are even totally
ill-framed and blurry. Praying that your team wins, in spite of being gracious
enough to pray that no one gets hurt, is not what Jesus meant when he instructed
us on how, why, and when to pray.
He also said to enter into your closet rather than to pray standing in the synagogues
like the heathens. Yet this very same pathetic scene is played out everyday
around the country by so-called “servants” of God in direct violation
of Jesus’ instructions. This part he did not leave open to interpretation
or subjectivity. Nowadays, we are taught that if we “hide” in our
homes, refusing to be seen praying over our meals in public places then we are
ashamed of Christ and he will be ashamed of us. Poppycock!! Praying in you private
place is EXACTLY what Jesus said to do! Hello! That is why prayer in schools
is one of the most anti-Christian things one could ever do. I would even go
so far to say that even praying in a Christian school is also against His instructions.
The whole idea is to avoid appearing pompous and arrogant. We are obsessed with
showing our religious affiliation through public prayer. We have confused a
public display of “Godliness” with being on God’s side, thereby
making the inference that God is on our side, neither of which are accurate.
I say that God is not impressed, and further, neither am I.
Where will you go, you Christians who cry persecution? Will you continue to
feign injury by the godless heathens who oppose prayer in schools, court rooms,
and other public places? You should be glad, for like Balaam riding his donkey,
you are blinded by your own selfishness. It was the donkey who saved Balaam
by turning aside not just once but three times because it saw the angel of God
when Balaam didn’t. You should heed the warnings, get off your "ass"
and open your eyes before it’s too late. Pray at home, in your closet,
in private as Jesus said. Stop laying a guilt trip on the rest of society to
make us feel that we owe it to you to tolerate the imposition of your religious
practices on us in our public places.
See you next time.
Dan Hardman
Dan Hardman, author
Essays From Church - Vol One
Order direct at these sites:
www.EDIncorporated.com,
www.BlackImages.com ,
www.Jokaes.com
See my column, 'The Other Side' - www.theblackmarket.com,
and 'The Burning Bush' - www.Afromerica.com
Dan Hardman
Need a prayer? Send a note to prayer@ccservices.org and get one by email!
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