“ Lord, teach us to pray.” Yes, us, Lord: we offer ourselves as learn ers; we would indeed be taught of Thee. “Lord, teach us to pray.” “ Lord, teach us to pray.” Yes, we feel the need now of being taught to pray. At first there is no work appears so simple; later on, none that is more difficult; and the confession is forced from us: We know not how to pray as we ought. It is true we have God’s Word, with its clear and sure promises; but sin has so darkened our mind, that we know not always how to apply the Word. In spiritual things we do not always seek, the most need ful things, or fail in praying accord ing to the law of the sanctuary. In temporal things we are still less able to avail ourselves of the won derful liberty our Father has given us to ask what we need. And even when we know what to ask, how much there is still needed to make prayer acceptable. It must be to the glory of God, in full surrender to His will, in full assurance of faith, in the name of Jesus, and with a perseverance that, if need be, re fuses to be denied. All this must be learned. It can only be learned in the school of prayer, for practice makes perfect. Amid the painful consciousness of ignorance and un worthiness, in the struggle between believing and doubting, the heaven ly art of effectual prayer is learned. Because, even when we do not re member it, there is One, the Begin ner and Finisher of faith and prayer, Who watches over our pray ing, and sees to it that in all mho trust Him for it their education in the school of prayer shall be car ried on to perfection. Let but the deep undertone of all our prayer be the teachableness that comes from a sense of ignorance, and from faith in Him as a perfect teacher, and we may be sure we shall be taught, we shall learn to pray in power. Yes, we may depend upon it, He teaches to pray. “Lord, teach us to pray.” None can teach like Jesus, none but Jesus; therefore we call on Him, “ Lord, teach us to pray.” A pupil needs a teacher, who knows his work, who has the gift of teaching, who in patience and love will de scend to the pupil’s needs. Blessed be God! Jesus is all this and much
more. He knows what prayer is. It is Jesus, praying Himself, Who teaches to pray. He knows what prayer is. He learned it amid the trials and tears of His earthly life. In heaven it is still His beloved work: His life there is prayer. Nothing delights Him more than to find those whom He can take with Him into the Father’s pres ence, whom He can clothe with power to pray down God’s blessing on those around them, whom He can train to be His fellow-workers in the intercession by which the kingdom is to be revealed on earth. He knows how to teach. Now by the urgency of felt need, then by the confidence with which joy in spires. Here by the teaching of the Word, there by the testimony of another believer who knows what it is to have prayer heard. By His Holy Spirit, He has access to our heart, and teaches us to pray by showing us the sin that hinders the prayer, or giving us the assurance that we please God. He teaches, by giving not only thoughts of what to ask or how to ask, but by breath ing within us the very spirit of prayer, by living within us as the Great Intercessor. We may indeed and most joyfully say, “Who teach- eth like Him?” Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man. Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing. Jesus loves to teach us how to pray. What think you, my beloved fellow-disciples! would it not be just what we need, to ask the Mas ter to give us a course of special lessons on the art of praver? As we meditate on the words He spake on Your Prayer Requests Each morning at eight the editorial staff of The King's Business magazine gathers for prayer. Over the years God has an swered the heartcry of thousands. Should you have a request we would count it a privilege to take it to the throne of grace. Your request will be held in the strictest confidence. Address: The Editors, The King's Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, Calif.
earth, let us yield ourselves to His teaching in the fullest confidence that, with such a teacher, we shall make progress. Let us take time not only to meditate, but to pray, to tarry at the foot of the throne, and to be trained to the work of inter cession. Let us do so in the assur ance that amidst our stammerings and fears He is carrying on His work most beautifully. He will breathe His own life, which is all prayer, into us. As He makes us partakers of His righteousness and His life, He will of His intercession too. As the members of His body, as a holy priesthood, we shall take part in His priestly work of pleading and prevailing with God for men. Yes, let us most joyfully say, igno rant and feeble though we be, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Blessed Lord! Who ever livest to pray, Thou canst teach me to pray, me to live ever to pray. In this Thou lovest to make me share Thy glory in heaven, that I should pray without ceasing and ever stand as a priest in the presence of my God. Lord Jesus! I ask Thee this day to enroll my name among those who confess that they know not how to pray as they ought and es pecially ask Thee for a course of teaching in prayer. Lord! teach me to tarry with Thee in the school and give Thee time to train me. May a deep sense of my ignorance, of the wonderful privilege and power of prayer, of the need of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of prayer, lead me to cast away my thoughts of what I think I know, and make me kneel before Thee in true teach ableness and poverty of spirit. And fill me, Lord, with the con fidence that with such a teacher as Thou art I shall learn to pray. In the assurance that I have as my teacher, Jesus, Who is ever praying to the Father, and by His prayer rules the destinies of His Church and the world, I will not be afraid. As much as I need to know of the mysteries of the prayer-world, Thou wilt unfold for me. And when I may not know, Thou wilt teach me to be strong in faith, giv ing glory to God. Blessed Lord! Thou wilt not put to shame Thy scholar who trusts Thee nor, by Thy grace, would he Thee either. Amen. END.
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