Praying that Our Father’s Will Be Done

July 28, 2022Posted inLord's Prayer
Praying “Thy will be done” is probably the most difficult of all petitions. When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for the cup to pass from him, he wanted that urgently. His whole being was recoiling in horror from the God-forsakenness of the cross, but he added “Nevertheless, not my will but thine be…

Praying for the Coming of Our Father’s Kingdom

July 21, 2022Posted inLord's Prayer
The Heidelberg Catechims has a very helpful explanation of the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer in Lord’s Day 48. It teaches us that this prayer is very broad in scope because in it we pray for ourselves, for the church, against wickedness, and for the perfection of the kingdom. We pray for ourselves We…

Praying to Our Father in Heaven

July 13, 2022Posted inLord's Prayer
Our Lord taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer on at least two separate occasions. The first was in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6 he gave the Lord’s Prayer, but also instructions about it. 1) That we should pray in secret, and not as the hypocrites, on the street corners and in the…

Praying for the Hallowing of Our Father’s Name

July 6, 2022Posted inLord's Prayer
One of the important things that Jesus teaches us in the Lord’s Prayer is that we should pray as members of his body. That does not mean that we may never pray as individuals. Many psalms are individual prayers. LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me.…