Praying by D. Hildreth

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Jan 19, 1864

Praying.

By D. Hildreth

THERE are individuals who protract their devotion by preaching upon their knees. Especially is this true of some persons who in their anxiety to have others believe as they do, act injuriously. Those who are interested to learn our views, soon lose their interest if we act the bigot by continually and dogmatically forcing our opinions upon them. As long as a person manifests an interest to hear, it is safe to take the truth to them, but when they become unwilling to listen, it only creates prejudice. It is right to pray that others may receive the truth, but if we in our prayers try to explain and elucidate points of doctrine, it is going too far. Perhaps we cannot better obtain a true idea of the objects of prayer than by closely examining the Lord's prayer. Matt. vi, 9-13.

This prayer is very comprehensive and probably contains all the objects of prayer. Here is a model, notice its brevity.

Our Father which art in heaven. Faith in a Supreme Being who has a parental care for us is here clearly implied. Who would say "Our Father in heaven," if they did not believe in a God? If they only partially believed, or hoped there was a God they would commence as did the atheist at sea amid a storm, "O God if there be a God."

Hallowed be thy name. Reverence and adoration for God in the perfection of his attributes is here expressed. How holy and pure is the great God! Approach him with your hand upon your mouth. Job xl, 4.

Thy kingdom come. The scope of this sentence is exceeding broad. Taken in its ultimate sense it is a desire for the establishment of Christ's everlasting kingdom in the earth made new. Taken it all its bearings, it contains the sum of our duties for the salvation of our fellow men. Whatever we may do or say that has for its object and end the prosperity of Christ's cause, is living out this petition.

Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven. This inculcates submission to the will of God, one fruit of which is meekness; alludes to the perfect order and submission of Heaven's inhabitants, and glances at the time when God's will shall be perfectly fulfilled by earth's inhabitants; for God does not teach us to pray for anything that cannot or will not be done.

Give us this day our daily bread. This is a petition not only for a daily supply of food for the body, but also for the bread which came down from heaven. It also implies our entire dependence upon God, "Give us." Is there any need of our asking for a thing we can get ourselves without help?

And forgive us our debts. We are sinners, we have broken thy law, remove the load, cancel the debt for thy name's sake.

As we forgive our debtors. This clause is the least thought of, of any portion of this prayer, so universally admired. The Lord anticipated this and immediately repeated and enlarged upon it, verses 14, 15. See also chap. v. 23, 24; xviii, 21-35; Mark xi. 25, 26; Col. iii, 3. We seldom pray without asking for forgiveness of sins, but how often do we think of this condition of pardon? Ponder well upon this point for nothing less than salvation depends upon it.

And lead us not into temptation. Abandon us not to temptation, suffer us not to be led out of the path but lead us in the right way.

But deliver us from evil. Deliver us from all the snares of Satan, and from all the ills of soul and body. 1 Thess. v, 23.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. This is an ejaculation of praise. It acknowledges God as the creator, owner and preserver of the universe, and implies his eternity.

The scope of our petitions is summed up in this model prayer. We should not pray too long, or use repetitions, yet ask for all we want. A simple, submissive, confiding prayer of moderate length and correct petitions, will have a good effect on the listener.

Let us watch while we pray, and try to pray with the "Spirit and with the understanding also."

D. HILDRETH.