Prayer

I love to imagine the scene - a crowd of men, women and children gathered around Jesus on the mountainside. Matthew tells us they were astounded at what they heard, because he spoke with authority, “Not like the scribes” Matthew 7:29. Jesus gave his listeners dignity. I imagine the women were particularly overjoyed at this opportunity to sit at his feet, in sharp contrast with the Jewish conventions which kept them at a distance.

Through his actions and his words, Jesus turns society’s conventions upside down. He condemns the ostentatious prayer he has encountered in the synagogues and on the street corners. Rather, he tells his followers, “Go into your room and shut the door. Pray to your Father who is in secret and the Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6.6. He warns against using ‘empty phrases’ reminding us that the Father knows our needs before we ask.
 
The simple words that follow, in verses 9-13, contain the overarching themes of salvation:

Our Father in heaven                  

•        global unity: he is Father of all;
•        love: the tender, all-consuming love of a perfect parent;
•        heaven - his kingdom that is not of this world.

Hallowed be your name                        

•        we are created to worship God and enjoy him forever.

Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven          

•        a spiritual warfare prayer to invite the reign of God to continue breaking through on the ground, as it were. Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom and we continue his ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Give us this day our daily bread

•        God is the source of all we need to live, we can trust him.

And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

•        Jesus goes on to explain that our readiness to forgive is so important that failure to show grace to others prevents our own sin from being forgiven. 

Do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us from the evil one

•        God is our shield and defender, our rescuer and deliverer. We must not rely on our own strength.

So how do we live this life of secret prayer, as individuals and as the All Nations family?

Jesus makes it so easy! We are all invited to meet the Father in the secret place - the only entry requirement is choosing to make time. The more we take up the invitation, both on our own and with others, the more we find that worship, hope, faith and intercession bubble up from our innermost being. Whenever and wherever we draw close to him, he is the restorer of our souls - and we become channels of his Spirit’s work in the world.

Lord Jesus, thank you for our open invitation to the Father’s throne.
Through our lives of prayer, Holy Spirit please use us
to turn society’s conventions upside down. 
Amen.

- Catherine Horton