Transcriber's Note:
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.For a complete list, please see the end of this document.
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The disciples had been with Christ, and seen Him pray. They hadlearnt to understand something of the connection between Hiswondrous life in public, and His secret life of prayer. They hadlearnt to believe in Him as a Master in the art of prayer—nonecould pray like Him. And so they came to Him with the request,'Lord, teach us to pray.' And in after years they would have toldus that there were few things more wonderful or blessed that Hetaught them than His lessons on prayer.
And now still it comes to pass, as He is praying in a certainplace, that disciples who see Him thus engaged feel the need ofrepeating the same request, 'Lord, teach us to pray.' As we growin the [6]Christian life, the thought and the faith of the BelovedMaster in His never-failing intercession becomes evermoreprecious, and the hope of being Like Christ in His intercessiongains an attractiveness before unknown. And as we see Him pray,and remember that there is none who can pray like Him, and nonewho can teach like Him, we feel the petition of the disciples,'Lord, teach us to pray,' is just what we need. And as we thinkhow all He is and has, how He Himself is our very own, how He isHimself our life, we feel assured that we have but to ask, and Hewill be delighted to take us up into closer fellowship withHimself, and teach us to pray even as He prays.
Come, my brothers! Shall we not go to the Blessed Master and askHim to enrol our names too anew in that school which He alwayskeeps open for those who long to continue their studies in theDivine art of prayer and intercession? Yes, let us this very daysay to the Master, as they did of old, 'Lord, teach us to pray.'As we meditate we shall find each word of the petition we bringto be full of meaning.
'Lord, teach us to pray.' Yes, to pray. This is what we needto be taught. Though in its beginnings prayer is so simple thatthe feeble child can pray, yet it is at the same time the highestand holiest work to which man can rise. It is fellowship with theUnseen and Most Holy One. The powers [7]of the eternal world havebeen placed at its disposal. It is the very essence of truereligion, the channel of all blessings, the secret of power andlife. Not only for ourselves, but for others, for the Church, forthe world, it is to prayer that God has given the right to takehold of Him and His strength. It is on prayer that the promiseswait for their fulfilment, the kingdom for its coming, the gloryof God for its full revelation. And for this blessed work, howslothful and unfit we are. It is only the Spirit of God canenable us to do it aright. How speedily we are deceived into aresting in the form, while the power is wanting. Our earlytraining