DAY 1 IN THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER

Today I am writing out the first chapter of Andrew Murrays book, “With Christ in the School of Prayer.”  It has 31 chapters (a month of meditations) and after reading it recently I thought it would be good to put each chapter up and maybe some of you will discover or renew your life of prayer as I am.  Each chapter finishes with a powerful prayer, pray it slowly, fervently.

Luke 11:1  One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray…

The disciples had been with Christ and seen Him pray.  They had learned to understand something of the connection between His wondrous life in public and His secret life of prayer.  They had learned to believe in Him as a master in the art of prayer – none could pray like Him.  And so they came to Him with the request, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’.  And in later years they would have told us that there were few things more wonderful or blessed that He taught them than His lessons on prayer.  And now still it comes to pass, as He is praying in a certain place, that disciples who see Him still feel the need of repeating the same request, “Lord teach us to pray”.  As we grow in the Christian life, the thought and the faith of the Beloved Master in His never-failing intercession becomes ever more precious, and the hope of being like Christ in His intercession gains attractiveness before unknown.  And as wee see Him pray, and remember that there is none who can teach like Him, we feel the petition of the disciples, Lord Teach us to pray.  And as we think how all He is and has, how He himself is our very own, how He is himself is our life, we feel assured that we have but to ask, and He will be delighted to take us up into closer fellowship with Himself, and teach us to pray even as he prays.  Come brothers and sisters, shall we not go to the Blessed Master and ask Him to enroll our names too in that school which He always keeps open for those who long to continue their studies in the Divine art of prayer and intercession?  Yes, let us this very day, say to the Master, as they did of old, ‘Lord teach us to pray’.  As we meditate, we shall find each word of the petition we bring to be full of meaning.  ‘Lord, teach us to pray’. 

Yes to pray.  This is what we need to be taught.  Though in its beginnings prayer is so simple that the feeblest child can pray, yet it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which someone can rise.  It is fellowship with the Unseen and Most Holy One.  The power of the eternal world has been placed at its disposal.  It is the very essence of true discipleship, that channel of all blessings, the secret of power and life.  Not only for ourselves, but for others, for the Church, for the world. It is to prayer that God has given the right to take hold of Him and His strength.  It is on prayer that the promises wait for their fulfillment, the Kingdom for its coming, the glory of God for its full revelation.  And for this blessed work, how slothful and unfit we are.  It is only the Spirit of God who can enable us to do it aright.  How speedily we are deceived into a resting in the form, while the power is wanting.  Our early training, the teaching of the Church, the influence of habit, the stirring of the emotions – how easily these lead to prayer which has no spiritual power and avails but little.  True prayer, that takes hold of God’s strength, that avails much, to which the gates of heaven are really opened wide – who would not cry, Oh for someone to teach me to pray in this way.

Jesus has opened a school, in which he trains His redeemed ones, who specially desire it, to have power in prayer.  Shall we not enter it with the petition, Lord it is just this we need, ‘teach me to pray’.  ‘Lord teach us to pray’.  Yes, us, Lord.  We have read in Your Word, with what power Your believing people of old used to pray and what mighty wonders were done in answer to their prayers.  And if this took place under the Old Covenant, in the time of preparation, how much more will You not now, in these days of fulfillment, give Your people this sure sign of Your Presence in our midst.  We have heard the promises given to Your apostles of the power of prayer in Your name, and have seen how gloriously they experienced their truth: we know for certain they can become true to us too.  We hear continually even in these days what glorious tokens of Your power You still give to those who trust You fully.  Lord, these are all people of like passions with ourselves; teach us to pray so too.  The promises are for us, the power and gifts of the heavenly world are for us.  Oh, teach us to pray so that we may receive abundantly.  To us too, You have entrusted Your work, on our prayer too, the coming of Your Kingdom depends, in our prayer too You can glorify Your name; ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’  Yes, us, Lord; we offer ourselves as learners; we would indeed be taught of You ‘Lord teach us to pray.’ 

Yes, we feel the need now of being taught to pray.  At first there is no work appears so simple; later on, none that is more difficult; and the confession is forced from us: We know not how to pray as we ought.  It is true we have God’s Word, with its clear and sure promises; but sin has so darkened our mind, that we know not always how to apply the Word.  In spiritual things we do not always seek the most needful things, or fail in praying according to Your Word.  In temporal things we are still less able to avail ourselves of the wonderful liberty our Father has given us to ask what we need.  And even when we know what to ask, how much there is still needed to make prayer acceptable.  It must be to the glory of God, in full surrender to His will, in full assurance of faith, in the name of Jesus, and with a perseverance that, if need be, refuses to be denied.  All this must be learned.  It can only be learned in the school of much prayer, for practice is needed.  Amid the painful consciousness of ignorance and unworthiness, in the struggle between believing and doubting, the heavenly art of effectual prayer is learnt.  Because, even when we do not remember it, there is One, the Beginner and Finisher of faith and prayer, who watches over our praying, sees to it that in all who trust Him for it, their education in the school of prayer shall be carried on to perfection.  But let the deep undertone of all our prayer, be the teachable-ness that comes from a sense of ignorance, and from faith in Him as a perfect teacher, and we may be sure we shall be taught, we shall learn to pray in power.  Yes, we may depend upon it, He teaches to pray.  ‘Lord teach us to pray.’ 

None can teach like Jesus, none but Jesus; therefore we call on Him.  ‘Lord teach us to pray.’  A pupil needs a teacher, who knows his work, who has the gift of teaching, who, in patience and love will descend to the pupil’s needs.  Blessed be God!  Jesus is all this and much more.  He knows what prayer is. It is Jesus, praying Himself, who teaches to pray.  He knows what prayer is.  He learned it in the trials and tears of His earthly life.  In heaven it is still His beloved work: His life there – is prayer.  Nothing delights Him more than to find those whom He can take with Him into the Fathers presence, whom He can clothe with power to pray down God’s blessing on those around them, whom He can train to be His fellow-workers in the intercession by which the Kingdom is to be revealed on earth.  He knows how to teach.  Now the urgency of felt need, then by the confidence with which joy inspires.  Here by the teaching of the Word, there by the testimony of another believer who knows what it is to have prayer heard.  By His Holy Spirit, He has access to our heart, and teaches us to pray by showing us the sin that hinders the prayer, or giving us the assurance that we please God.  He teaches, by giving not only thoughts of what to ask or how to ask, but by breathing within us the very spirit of prayer, by living within us as the Great Intercessor.  We may indeed and most joyfully say, ‘Who teaches like Him?’  Jesus never taught His disciples how preach, only how to pray.  He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well.  To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man.  Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing.  Jesus loves to teach us to pray.

What do you think, my beloved fellow disciples!.  Would it not be just what we need, to ask the Master for a month to give us a course of special lessons on the art of prayer?  As we meditate on the words He spoke on earth, let us yield ourselves to His teaching in the fullest confidence that, with such a teacher, we shall make progress.  Let us take some time, not only to meditate, but to pray, to tarry at the foot of the throne, and be trained to the work of intercession.  Let us do so in the assurance that amidst our stammering and fears He is carrying on His work most beautifully.  He will breathe His own life, which is all prayer, into us.  As he makes us partakers of His righteousness and His life, He will of His intercession too.  As the members of His body, as a holy priesthood, we shall take part in His priestly work of pleading and prevailing with God for men.  Yes, let us joyfully say, ignorant and feeble though we be, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Blessed Lord, who ever lives to pray, You can teach me also to live ever to pray.  In this You love to make me share Your glory in Heaven, that I should pray without ceasing, and always stand as a priest in the presence of God. 

Lord Jesus, I ask You this day to enroll my name among those who confess that they know not how to pray as they ought, and specially ask You for a course of teaching in prayer.  Lord, teach me to tarry with You in the school and give You time to train me.  May a deep sense of my ignorance, of the wonderful privilege and power of prayer, of the need of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of prayer, lead me to cast away my thoughts of what I think I know, and make me kneel before You in true teachable-ness and poverty of spirit.

And fill me, Lord, with the confidence that with such a teacher as You, I shall learn to pray.  In the assurance that I have as my teacher, Jesus, who is ever praying to the Father, and by His prayer rules the destinies of His Church and the world, I will not be afraid.  As much as I need to know of the mysteries of the prayer-world, You will unfold for me.  And when I may not know, You will teach me to be strong in faith, giving glory to God.  Beautiful Saviour, You will not put to shame Your scholar who trusts You nor by Your grace would Your scholar, You. AMEN