How should we pray? What should we ask for?
These are two very good questions, and worth exploring. But, there is one, much more important question, which needs to be answered first.
Within the modern church, and I speak with respect to evangelical churches which I frequent, there is a tradition that says we pray to Jesus.
I heard a very good sermon this morning on how we should pray. The pastor really nailed it with respect to “how” and “what”. He went right to the source, Jesus.
From the Gospel according to Matthew we read:
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
After this manner therefore pray ye:
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:
This simple, but elegant prayer covers all the answers – How to pray, what to pray for, and to whom we should pray.
To whom should we pray?
So what is the answer to, “To whom should we pray?”
The Father.
Unfortunately, it has become commonplace to substitute Jesus as the one to whom they pray, the previous and quite obvious teaching notwithstanding.
The next time you are in a church service or prayer meeting listen.
To whom do these believers pray?
If they have been caught up in modern, feel-good, Christianity you will hear them praying to Jesus, not to God the Father.
“But, wait,” you may protest, “Is not Jesus, Emanuel, which is interpreted God with us?”
Yes, Jesus is “God with us”. And yet, it is Jesus who taught us that we should ask the Father, not him.
SPLITTING HAIRS?
The Christ came to bring us to God. The scriptures testified that the whole of the salvation message and church is to glorify God.
• John 21:19, This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God
• Romans 15:6, That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father
• Romans 15:9, And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, "For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name."
• 1 Peter 4:16, Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
“But,” You ask, “If Jesus is God, then why are you splitting hairs over whether we call God, Jesus, or the Father, or Just God?”
I’m not splitting hairs; I’m repeating what God has said. The scriptures are replete with examples of this distinction.
Consider the following:
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “(John 14)
“At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you” (John 16: 26)
The Christ makes the distinction between himself and the Father.
There are many more such passages.
Yes, we know that The Christ is God with Us. Yet He chooses to maintain a distinction.
We can see that there is, in time – outside Heaven- a distinction in position between God the Father and God the Son.
Some will point to Philippians where The Christ (Jesus) is mentioned as being equal.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
This passage is immediately followed by further explanation:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
It is his ministry to bring people to God and glorify God as we saw earlier. We see is no uncertain terms in First Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 15: (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Whoa!
There are a lot of “hes” and “hims”. Which he is Him and which Him is he?
Just for fun, let’s insert the word “God” (the Father) and Jesus for some of the “hes” and “hims”, and see if we can make sense of it.
Then cometh the end, when Jesus shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when Jesus shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
For Jesus must reign, till God hath put all enemies under Jesus’ feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
For God hath put all things under Jesus’ feet. But when God saith all things are put under Jesus, it is manifest that God is excepted, which did put all things under Jesus. And when all things shall be subdued unto Jesus, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto God that put all things under Jesus, that God may be all in all
There now, whether you agree or not with the interpretation, it does seem clearer. Give it some prayer, and serious contemplation, and I believe God will show you will there is truth to this.
Finally, let us look at the last book of the Bible – Revelation. Here we see the same determination to glorify God and maintain the distinction between Jesus (the man Savior) and God (the Father).
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Let’s look at revelation
In revelation, we see even more complex relationships between man and God in communicating His plan to the Church through John.
Rev. 22
And he said unto me, “These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.”
‘Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book”.
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Then saith he unto me, “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”
And he saith unto me, “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
“ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”
In the last verse, above, we Jesus reveal himself as the speaker. He is the “I”, who has been speaking, and revealing himself as the “Beginning and the End.”
If you follow through the entire set of passages, it is clear that the very first “I” (the angel) is this very same “I, Jesus.”
All along, Jesus maintains, and directs John to maintain, a distinction between himself and God.
We see that God has chosen to make a distinction between Jesus and Himself and that distinction applies with respect to spiritual exercises such as praying and worship.
Why?
The scripture does not address that specifically. But, in general, we can surmise, because:
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)
When we Pray
So, when we pray, let us pray to the Father. And pray, by the authority given us through The Christ – “in His name.”
Who is God the Father?
He is that He is.
He does have a name. And, Hallowed be His Name.
Hallowed be Yahweh.
