the lord's prayer
What could possibly be wrong with us holding each other's hands and reciting the Lord's Prayer as we assemble around the grave of a recently deceased love one? Most all would agree that it was the perfectly proper thing to do. Yet we shall see that it was definitely not what Yeshua (Jesus) intended when He taught His disciples the prayer.
So we
And yet in the verse which just preceded His instruction of what to say when they did pray, Yeshua admonished His followers where it was they were to pray.
The problem with the grand demonstrations of public prayer, is that even though they may make us feel like we are oh so religious and in sink with GOD, in reality, the prayer is completely out of sink with HIS will. We should not be thus praying.
And in addition, what Yeshua taught His disciples to pray, might not be at all what we are to pray. For example, He taught that they should pray for the coming of HIS kingdom. Yet, Yeshua taught elsewhere His kingdom would come during the lifetime of some of His listeners (MATTHEW 16:28). There can be a good argument that that kingdom did come around 70 A.D. (See the Study, Whatever happened to Timothy?)
- MATTHEW 6:9-13 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
So we
And yet in the verse which just preceded His instruction of what to say when they did pray, Yeshua admonished His followers where it was they were to pray.
- RSV MATTHEW 6:5 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The problem with the grand demonstrations of public prayer, is that even though they may make us feel like we are oh so religious and in sink with GOD, in reality, the prayer is completely out of sink with HIS will. We should not be thus praying.
And in addition, what Yeshua taught His disciples to pray, might not be at all what we are to pray. For example, He taught that they should pray for the coming of HIS kingdom. Yet, Yeshua taught elsewhere His kingdom would come during the lifetime of some of His listeners (MATTHEW 16:28). There can be a good argument that that kingdom did come around 70 A.D. (See the Study, Whatever happened to Timothy?)