Matthew 6: The Sermon on the Mount (24)
Pray Psalm 37.4-6.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
Sing Psalm 37.4-6.
(Neumark: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Delight yourself in God’s salvation; He’ll give you all your heart’s desire.
Commit to Him your every station, and His good purpose will transpire.
Your righteousness a blazing light He will bring forth against the night.
Read Matthew 6.1-10; meditate on verses 9, 10.
What does “hallowed” imply?
Prepare.
1. What does Jesus mean by “In this manner”?
2. What should be first in all our prayers?
Meditate.
Here Jesus says we should pray “In this manner”. That is, He is offering a template for prayer, a guide to show us what our prayers—whether individual or corporate—should include. In Luke 11.2, Jesus teaches us actually to pray these words. So it’s good to pray this “Lord’s Prayer” verbatim, as well as to let it serve as an outline or framework for all our prayers.
Prayer begins with praise and adoration for God: “Hallowed be Your name” (v. 9). He is our Father, and He knows that it is good for us, His children, to rehearse His many excellencies. And this is what praise entails, celebrating with joy the many attributes and virtues, the works and words of the Lord. We praise God for Who He is and all that He does and has done. Praising God helps us to focus our prayers on Him, so that we draw closer to Him, since the Lord promises to inhabit the praises of His people (Ps. 22.3).
In praise we are also reminded how much we depend on Him for all our needs. He already knows them, so if we concentrate on praise, thanks, and adoration, He’ll take care of our needs, even if we forget to mention them.
And prayer continues by our submitting our will to God. It’s not what we want that matters so much, but what God wants. His Kingdom and His will define the life parameters of all who follow Jesus. We embrace that call to total submission, and it guides every other aspect of our prayers as in each case we say, “Nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, be done.”
Focusing on God, seeking the progress of His Kingdom and the fulfillment of His will—this is how the Kingdom of God comes into being on earth, reflecting the way it exists in heaven.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“In this manner, therefore, pray…” (Matt. 6.9).
When observed carefully, we see that Jesus’ prayer is set to the same pattern of the Law of God (Ex. 20.1-17).
First, our relationship to the Father is established.
Then follows our life on earth in relationship to others, and spiritual forces of darkness (Eph. 6.12).
Ending with the culmination of it all—
“Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever” (Matt. 6.13).
“Hallowed be the Name” of our God, Who said:
I AM the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image…
you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.
For I, the LORD your God, AM a jealous God… (Ex. 20.1-5).
“You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain,
for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain” (Ex. 20.7).
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20.8).
“Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6.10).
Taking the Name of Christ (Christian) is not to be done in vain.
Keeping His day holy is important to Him.
Do you think God’s will is done in heaven?
In heaven, do you think there are any pretend Christians residing?
Do you think, in heaven, that anybody blows off anything that is important to God?
My humble guesses are, “Yes, No, and No”.
“For I know that the LORD is great, and our LORD is above all gods.
Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth…” (Ps. 135.5, 6).
“But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment,
and God Who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness” (Is. 5.16).
His Name is best hallowed through the holiness of His people.
In this manner pray, and live.
Reflect.
1. How do you “hallow” the Name of God?
2. How do you see the Kingdom coming in your part of the earth as it is in heaven?
3. How does prayer prepare us for the coming of the Kingdom and its King?
Our Lord so frequently spoke to us of God as Father. He even taught us to call none on earth father, but only the one we have in heaven. Therefore, when we pray to the Father, we are following this command. Blessed are they who recognize their Father! Tertullian (155-250), On Prayer 2.2-6
Pray Psalm 37.7-9, 34-40.
Submit yourself anew to the Lord, and all the activities of this day. Pray that you will seek His Kingdom and follow His will in all that is before you today.
Sing Psalm 37.7-9, 34-40.
(Neumark: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Rest in the LORD and wait on Jesus; fret not at those who practice sin.
Forsake all wrath till anger ceases; let anxious fears not enter in.
The wicked perish from the LORD, but they are blessed who heed His Word!
Wait on the LORD, His way observing, and He will lift you up on high.
Those prone to wicked ways preserving, your eyes shall see cast down to die.
The blameless man shall stand upright, for God preserves him by His might!
Salvation comes from Christ our Savior; He is our strength in time of need.
On us does He bestow His favor, who all His holy judgments heed.
He is our help in troubled times; our refuge He, in Him we hide.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column looks at people in ministry. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
