Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-27
THE LORDS PRAYER, IT;
SIMPLICITY AND ITS
FULLNESS
By Mrs. A. Smith Irvine, Augusta, Cd

The disciples came unto Him saying
LORD, each us how to pray" So thiS
IS not the Lcrd's Prayer, but the on s
he taught His disciples to use.
Let US see what it means!
FIRST, the whole prayer may be class
ed under two distinct heads, and not E
WORD In 1t that does not fall under onM
or the other Of these heads-and thew
represented by the first two words 81
TINS wonderful prayer, viz: Our and
Father"
These men were the first members
OF the Christian church, the forerun
ners of the gospel, and to be the typ
OF all Christendom; they, so inefficient
in themselves. were to be sent out il I
the one simple life of faith in God and
love to man-and the first utterancA
Of the Divine Teacher sets this forth
Our and see the plurality of every
pronoun ! this prayer, that refers t.
man; I'VE, us" "our!" Self is no
thought of; one in Christ Jesus; His
family; all equal before Him and
bound together III chains of love-and
t. be His representatives on earth!
So much for the human side of tn &
first word of this great, comprehen
sive prayer; but it also settles ouE
relationship to God-the Father" "A
if it said, Thou, who art God and
King over all in heaven and earth
art our Father" Jesus Christ BEING
our elder Brother" for the second
word and which heads the second di Il
vision is Father
But let us pau3e a moment over tho
short qualifying phrase that followa
this word, "Who art in Heaven; Wild
expresses Gods personality; the tinyS
verb art being in the present tensd
sets forth His eternal existence, whilda
the singular number manifests His
unity and Heaven gives the place Of
His abode!
Was ever such fullness comprised by
three small words?
And now the real prayer begins as
all prayer should begin with ascrip
tions of honor and praise to Cod
that ''Thy name be hallowed" -Thy
kingdom come" and Thy will be dones
on earth as it is donein Heaven"
Think of 1.-THE glory of it! How
ardently His children should pray
for it!
"Give us our daily bread" Cod
the Provider and the Giver of all that
is needed for the human side of life.
gives us these things. We Lawfully
striving and trusting.
forgive us our tresposses as We
forgive those who trespass against
us'-this covers all of our spiritual
lifel
And herein is expressed both theH
second and the third persons of theH
friend, God; for how also, save by thes
atonement Of His Son could a holy andT
just God forgive sin; and how else
save by the communication to US of
the Holy Spirit, could these fallen nal
tives of ours forgive those who tres-l
pass against us?
So now being made new creatures mi
Christ Jesus and for this sake, being
forgiven shall we not bestow the same
upon those lesser sinners who may
have trespassed against us?
The great Teacher afterwards en-
larges upon this theme and strenu-#
ously insists upon it.
AND now, although temptation
(Which is testing) has to come into
every human life for even the potter
strikes his finished vessel to see if it
temptation, as our type and eXample5
and now stands by us, ready to help,
we need not fear!
For He is ready also to deliver us
from evil" having said. Il will never
leave for forsake you"
Thus ends the human teachings of
this perfect praper-(having taught
everything we need to be taught) and
now it makes sudden turn back to
its beginning and swinging round
forms a perfect circle (itself the en-
blem of eternity which encloses God
in the center and mankind with every
want, natural or spiritual. provided
(for the seelIing) and the singular pro-
noun, which was applied only to deity,
again occurs-and the triumphant
shout goes up, Thine is the Kingdom
and the Power and the Glory-for ever
and ever. Amen"
Truly, the Lord GOD, omnlpotent
reigns!
Finally. the formula of this wonder
full prayer reveals the Divinity Of
Christ!
Lord, teach us how to pray!