“M’bandakucha, kudakali mdima, Yesu anadzuka, natuluka m’nyumbamo, napita kumalo kwa yekha, kukapemphera.

— Marko 1:35

     Tsatanetsatane nzomvekera bwino ndipo zimatipatsa chithunzithunzi chomvekera bwino cha Yesu m’masiku amenewo a utumiki Wake wotchuka mu Galileya. Komabe ankadziwa kuopsa kwa kutchuka komanso kukhala nthawi yaitali pamalo amodzi. Pamene tikuwerengabe, zikuwonekeratu kuti dzuwa linali litatuluka ndipo anthu anali atatsala pang'ono kufunafuna Ngwazi wawo ... , zimene Iye ayenera kuchita. Iye anati kwa ophunzira ofunitsitsa. “Tiyeni tipite kwinanso kuti ndikalalikire kumenekonso, chifukwa chake ndabwera” (vs.38).

     Luka akupereka cholembedwa chathunthu cha moyo wa pemphero la Ambuye wathu. Luka anali mlembi Wachikunja wa NT, amene anakhala nthawi yambiri ndi Paulo pa maulendo ake. Iye ndiye mlaliki amene amatisonyeza mawu a Paulo m’ntchito “Pempherani kosalekeza. . . . . Luka akufotokoza momveka bwino kugwirizana pakati pa ziphunzitso za Paulo ndi ntchito ya Yesu. Ndi Luka, amene amatiuza kuti ndi liti pamene Yesu anapemphera, koma ndi Yohane amene amatipatsa mwatsatanetsatane pemphero lake mu Yohane 17.

     Mofanana ndi ana ambiri amene analeredwa ndi Mulungu, Yesu ayenera kuti anaphunzira kupemphera pamodzi ndi makolo ake. Anazindikira kuti Mulungu ndi Atate wake (Luka 2:49). Mu Getsemane Iye anatcha Mulungu mwa mpangidwe wozoloŵereka wa Atate, “Abba,” (m’chinenero chathu, “Atate”) mawu olimba mtima, achikondi a mwana kwa atate wake. Pali maluso ofunikira kuphunzira, monga popempha ndi kusonyeza chiyamikiro kaamba ka ubwino ndi mphatso za kholo. Makolo amene amafufuza zinthu zimenezi limodzi ndi ana awo pamene akukula, amalankhulana ndi ana awo kalekale asanaphunzire mawu enieni. Izi ndi maphunziro oyamba m’pemphero, mwina atchulidwa pa Aroma 8:15, 16, 26 .

     Ali mwana, Yesu anaphunzira mbali zambiri za Malemba Achiheberi. Ayenera kuti ankadziwa bwino nkhani za anthu otchuka a ku Isiraeli. Iye ayenera kuti anadziwa za pemphero lalikulu la Abrahamu lopembedzera m’malo mwa mizinda ya m’chigwa ( Gen. 18:16-33 ), ndipo anatha kunenanso pemphero la kudzipereka lalikulu la Solomo ( 2 Mbiri 6 ). Iye ayenera kuti ankadziwa bwino pemphero la Samueli ndi Yeremiya lofuna kupempherera anthu ndi mfumu imene inkasiya kutumikira Mulungu. Iye ayenera kuti anawerenga mapemphero a Nehemiya ndi Danieli amene anali kuyembekezera koma olapa, pamene ankayembekezera Aisiraeli. Mwinamwake koposa zonse analingalira za Mose wamphamvu amene anasangalala “nkhope ndi maso” m’kuyanjana ndi Mulungu wake ( Eksodo 33:11 ).

     Chiphunzitso cha Yesu cha pemphero, ndi mapemphero ake olembedwa, zimasonyeza mzimu waubwana, umene Yesu ananena kuti udzakhala chizindikiro cha awo olowa mu ufumu wakumwamba. Makhalidwe ndi kudalira ndi kufunikira. Kukula kwa makhalidwe amenewa kumathandiza okhulupirira opemphera kuti aziganizira za Mulungu osati pa iwo okha.

     Mawu oyamba onena za kupemphera kwa Ambuye ali pa Luka 3:21, pamene anatuluka m’madzi a Yordano. Akuwoneka kuti akukambirana njira ziwiri ndi Atate ake. M’menemo, tili ndi mawu oyamba ochititsa chidwi aja ochokera Kumwamba, “uyu ndiye mwana wanga,” onenedwa panthaŵi yovuta kwambiri m’moyo wa Yesu pamene anayamba utumiki Wake. Ndi chitsanzo kwa wokhulupirira aliyense kuti pazochitika zofunika zotere m’miyoyo yathu tiyenera kupemphera kwa Atate wathu wakumwamba, kuti atitsogolere njira zathu ndi Mzimu Wake Woyera. Yesu atangobatizidwa, anatengedwa ndi Mzimu kunka kuchipululu kumene anayesedwa ndi Satana. Panthawi iliyonse yovuta ya moyo, Yesu ankathera nthawi yambiri akupemphera.

     Pamene Ambuye anakonzekera kusankha atumwi, amuna amene anayenera kuphunzitsidwa ndi kutumizidwa monga maziko a Mpingo wachikristu, anachezera usiku wonse kupemphera ( Luka 6:12 ). Yesu ankafunika kutsimikizira kuti akusankha amuna oyenerera pa ntchito imeneyi. Atatsala pang'ono kufa Iye anapemphereranso amuna awa ndi zosowa zawo zapadera m'masiku amene akanatsatira kuchoka kwake. Yesu ankawadera nkhawa kwambiri amuna amenewa, ndipo sinali ntchito yapafupi kuteteza ndi kulimbikitsa osankhidwawo kuti akhale atsogoleri a ufumu watsopano. Pamene masautso anali kuyandikira, Yesu anali ndi zambiri zoti aphunzitse amuna, monga Petro, njira ya Ambuye. “Ine ndakupempherera iwe, Simoni, kuti chikhulupiriro chako chisafa” ( Luka 22:32 ). Ili linali dziko lenileni ndipo anayenera kukumana ndi mayesero enieni. M’mikhalidwe yoteroyo ndi pamene Yesu anakula mwauzimu ndipo zinali m’mikhalidwe yoteroyo ophunzira ake anakula kukhala monga Iye.

     Nthawi ina yovuta kwambiri mu ntchito ya Yesu inadza pamene Iye anachita chozizwitsa cha kudyetsa zikwi zisanu. Chaka cha kutchuka chinatha kwenikweni, koma Iye anapitiriza kukhala pakati pa zokopa, ndipo makamu aakulu anapita kwa Iye. Pamene anthu masauzande ambiri ankabalalika kuchokera ku chakudya cha mkate ndi nsomba, Yesu anauza ophunzira ake kuti akwere ngalawa ndi kupita tsidya lina la nyanja. Anafunika kukhala yekha ndi Mulungu. Iye anali atafedwa ndi msuweni wake Yohane Mbatizi. Anatsala pang’ono kutsutsidwa ndi khamu la anthu kuti akhale mfumu yawo. Choncho anachoka n’kupita kuphiri ndipo kumeneko anakhala nthawi yopemphera (Mateyu 14:23). Kukana chichirikizo cha anthu kungawakhumudwitse. Yesu ankakonda anthu amenewa koma tsopano akanamusiya. Iyi inali nthawi yosinthira moyo wake ndipo amafunikira mphamvu ya Atate pamene adavumbulutsa moyo wake mu kudzichepetsa kwakukulu ndi kuleza mtima. Yesu anafuna kuti Ufumuwo ubwere monga mmene ife tonse timachitira, monga mmene anayang’ana anthu okanthidwa mu umphaŵi wake wonse ndi matenda. Komabe Iye, nayenso, ayenera kudikira ndi kudutsa mu chigwa cha mithunzi.

     Munthawi yoteroyo, adawafunsa funso lofunika kwambiri, "Kodi anthu amati Ine ndine yani?" Lemba la Luka 9:18 limanena kuti funsoli linafunsidwa “pamene Yesu anali kupemphera payekha. Kupachikidwa kunali kuyandikira ndipo Iye ndi ophunzira ake ayenera kukhala okonzeka. Kotero kuti pamene iwo anali mu mtima wopemphera chivumbulutso chachikulu chidadziwika. Yesu anayamba kulankhula nawo za masautso ndi imfa yake. Patapita nthawi, ophunzira atatu apamtima ananyamuka ndi Yesu kuphiri (Luka 9:28), kaamba ka cholinga chenicheni cha kupemphera, ndipo ali kumeneko, Yesu anasandulika, nkhope yake ndi zovala zinawala ndipo anaona masomphenya. Eliya ndi Mose. Kumeneku kunali kukonzekera kowonjezereka kwa chiyeso chimene chikubwera, chimene chinachitika pamene Yesu anali kupemphera.

     Pamene ophunzira atatuwo anali m’phiri limodzi ndi Yesu, enawo anali m’munsi mwa mapiri kuyesa kuchiritsa mnyamata wodwala kwambiri koma sanathe. Pamene Yesu anabwerera ndi kuchiritsa mnyamatayo zinali zachibadwa kuti ophunzirawo afunse chifukwa chimene analephera kuchita chozizwitsacho. Ngakhale kuti nkhani ya Mateyu imatiuza kuti chikhulupiriro chawo chinali chopereŵera, lemba la Maliko 9:29 limanena kuti Yesu anawafotokozera kufunika kopemphera kwambiri.

     Tanthauzo la cholembedwa cha Luka nlakuti zochitika zazikulu zauzimu zimenezi, zovumbula chifuno chapafupi cha Mulungu ndi ntchito ya Yesu Kristu zinali zogwirizanitsidwa ndi pemphero. Pakhoza kukhala kufanana ndi zomwe takumana nazo. Nthawi za pemphero zimatha kukhala nthawi yabwino kwambiri pamene Mulungu amavumbulutsa china chake cha chitsogozo ndi ulemerero Wake.

     Panali nthawi zina pamene Yesu anatamanda Mulungu moyamikira kwambiri zinthu zodabwitsa zimene zinkachitika. Chimodzi mwa izi chinali pakubweranso kwa 70…Pamene ophunzira anali kuyenda uku akulalikira ndi kuchiritsa, Yesu anaona mphamvu za mdima zikugwedezeka ndipo anazindikira kuti kugonjetsa choipa kunali pafupi. Anaonanso nzeru za Mulungu podutsa anthu anzeru ndi ozindikira komanso posankha makanda kuti akhale ophunzira ake. Luka analemba kuti: “Panthaŵiyo Yesu, wodzala ndi chimwemwe mwa Mzimu Woyera, anati, Ndikukutamandani Atate, Ambuye wa kumwamba ndi dziko lapansi.” ( Luka 10:21 ) Komanso poukitsa Lazaro, Yesu ananena mofuula kuti: “Atate, ndikukuyamikani. kuti munandimva.” ( Yoh. 11:41 ) N’zoonekeratu kuti m’nkhanizi n’zoonekeratu kuti Yesu sanafunikire kutamandidwa pamaso pa anthu, chifukwa kulankhulana ndi Mulungu kunali kosalekeza kuchokera mkati. m’kupita kwa nthaŵi, analankhula momveka m’pemphero;

     Komabe, ulemerero wa Atate ukhoza kuwululidwa kokha mu mazunzo aakulu ndi imfa ya masiku amtsogolo. Kuyambira pamenepa kumka m’tsogolo mpaka m’Getsemane, Yesu akubuula ndi kupempha, ndi misozi ndi kuusa moyo kwa ululu waukulu. Izi zikutchulidwa mu Aheb. 5:7 , NW, “M’masiku a moyo wa Yesu padziko lapansi, anapereka mapemphero ndi mapembedzero mofuula ndi misozi kwa iye amene akanatha kum’pulumutsa ku imfa (kapena kuti kumuchotsa) ndipo anamvedwa chifukwa cha kugonjera kwake koyenera. ” Kumeneku kunali kuphunzira kumvera kupyolera mu zimene Iye anazunzika ndi kufika ku uchikulire kupyolera mu zowawa zonse za moyo, Yesu anafuna kokha kudziwa ndi kuchita chifuniro cha Atate, kuti Mulungu akalemekezedwe mu moyo ndi imfa ya Mwana Wake pamene ife tigwira mzimu wa ulemerero umenewo ndi kubuula, chisangalalo ndi zisoni, pa chifukwa chimodzi chimenecho ndi cholinga, ulemerero wa Atate, kuti ife moona timatsatira Yesu.

     Pa nthawi ina, ophunzira anapita kwa Yesu pamene anali kupemphera ndipo anamupempha kuti awaphunzitse kupemphera ( Luka 11:1 ). Kodi tiyenera kuphunzira kupemphera? Chodabwitsa n’chakuti Yesu anali atawapatsa kale malangizo a m’pemphero pa ulaliki wa paphiri. Kodi n'chiyani chinayambitsa funsoli? Iwo ankadziwa kuti Yohane M’batizi anaphunzitsa ophunzira ake kupemphera ndiponso kuti Afarisi anali ndi chizolowezi chochitiranso otsatira awo. Anayambanso kuzindikira kuti kuyandikira kwa Yesu kwa Mulungu kunali kosiyana kwambiri ndi chilichonse chimene iwo kapena munthu wina aliyense anaphunzitsidwapo.

     Kupenda fanizo la ana aamuna aŵiri ( Luka 15:11-32 ) kumatithandiza kuzindikira njira imene tingafikire Mulungu. Ife, mofanana ndi mwana woloŵerera, timazindikiranso kuti tiyenera kufunafuna Atate wathu. Ndi imodzi mwa nkhani zowunikira kwambiri padziko lapansi. Limatiphunzitsa mmene wochimwa wochimwa kwambiri angayandikire kwa Mlengi wamkulu, Mulungu wamkulu ndi woyera. Ngati kubwera kwa Iye nthawi zambiri ndi zomwe tikufuna kumabweretsa kunyozedwa chifukwa chozolowera, ndiye kuti tiyenera kusinkhasinkha za ukulu wake ndi ukulu wake. Kaonedwe kathu pa Iye ndi kocheperako. Kodi sitiyenera kutengera mtima ndi mzimu wa mwana wosakaza amene anatsimikiza mtima kupita kwa atate wake ndi kuulula zolakwa zake, kuvomereza kuti sanali woyenerera kukhala wapansi koposa m’banja? Timawona manja atatambasulidwa a bambowo akufuna kuti abwere kunyumba ngati mwana. Chithunzicho cha Mulungu chimasonyeza mochuluka chotani nanga mawu a Yesu kwa mkazi wochimwa wa ku Samariya—“Atate afuna wotero,” kuti azimulambira osati paphiri kapena m’kachisi, koma kulikonse, ngati kufufuzako kuli kopanda chinyengo koma moona mtima. ndipo kwenikweni.

     Mkhalidwe womwewo wa mtima ndi maganizo ukusonyezedwa m’ziphunzitso zina za Yesu za pemphero zolembedwa mu Mateyu 6 ndi Luka 18. Nkosavuta kwa ophunzira odzipereka a Ambuye Yesu lerolino, kuganiza kuti atsogoleri achipembedzo ndi anthu achikunja a m’zaka za zana loyamba anali. okhawo amene ali ndi mzimu wolakwika wokhudzana ndi pemphero. Pamene Yesu anakamba fanizo la amuna aŵili amene anali kupemphela m’Kacisi, anali kuganizilanso za anthu amene akanam’khulupilila cifukwa ca uthenga wa ophunzila oyambilila. Akhristu ambiri amapemphera chamumtima kuti, “Wokondedwa Ambuye, ndikuthokoza kuti sindili monga Mfarisi uja.” Pali ngozi yoti tikhulupirire kuti tingalowe pamaso pa Mulungu ndi mtima wonyada, wopambana komanso wodzikuza. kumlingo umene timavutika ndi uchimo wodzitukumula m’mitima mwathu ndi m’miyoyo yathu, ndiye kuti sitidzakhala okonzeka kutsatira zimene Yesu anaphunzitsa, kapenanso mapemphero a chitsanzo a pa Mat 6 ndi Luka 11 Mfundo yaikulu ya pemphero ndi phunziro lovuta kwambiri kuliphunzira, ndipo likuika maganizo pa Mulungu osati pa ife eni chiyanjanitso, pali kufatsa pakudzudzula kwa atate, osati mkwiyo ndi kudzudzula chikhumbo chake chimodzi chinali chakuti mwana wolakwayo abwerere kumudzi, kukonzanso chiyanjano ndi kukonzanso chiyanjano Ndabweradi kunyumba?” Kodi ndalowadi mu mzimu wa nyumba imeneyo ndipo ndapeza chifundo ndi chisangalalo cha nyumbayo? Atate akuyembekezera mwachidwi mwana wake.

"Very early in the morning, while still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

- Mark 1:35

     The details are quite graphic and paint for us a clear picture of Jesus during those days of His popular ministry in Galilee. Yet He was aware of the dangers of popularity and of spending too long in one place. As we read on, it is apparent that the sun was up and people were about again, searching for their Hero…If there had been any doubt in His mind when He arrived at that quiet spot, He now knew, after communion with His Father, what He must do. He said to the eager disciples. "Let us go somewhere else -- so that I can preach there also. That is why I have come” (vs.38).

     Luke gives the most complete record of our Lord's prayer life. Luke was the Gentile writer of the NT, who spent much time with Paul on his journeys. He is the evangelist who shows us the words of Paul in action "Pray continually. . . "pray in the spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests" (1 Thes. 5:17; Eph. 6:18). Luke clearly establishes the links between the teachings of Paul and the work of Jesus. It is Luke, who tells us where and when Jesus prayed, but it is John who gives us His detailed prayer in John 17.

     Like many children brought up in the nurture of God, Jesus must have learned how to pray at His parents' side. He understood that God was His Father (Luke 2:49). In Gethsemane He called God by the familiar form for Father, "Abba," (in our language, "Daddy") the confident, tender address of a child to its father. There are skills that need to be learned, as in making requests and expressing appreciation for the goodness and gifts of a parent. Parents who explore these experiences with their children as they grow, communicate with their offspring long before actual speech is learned. These are the first lessons in prayer, perhaps referred to Romans 8:15, 16, 26.

     As a child, Jesus would learn extensive portions of the Hebrew Scriptures. He must have become very familiar with the stories of the great heroes of Israel. He would have known about Abraham's great intercessory prayer on behalf of the cities of the plain (Gen.18:16-33), and been able to recite the great dedication prayer of Solomon (2 Chron. 6). He would have known well the prayerful yearnings of Samuel and Jeremiah over a people and king who were backsliding from God. He would have read the expectant yet repentant prayers of Nehemiah and Daniel, as they looked forward to Israel. Perhaps most of all he pondered the mighty Moses who had enjoyed "face to face" communion with his God (Exodus 33:11).

     Jesus teaching about prayer, and His recorded prayers, demonstrate the spirit of childhood, which Jesus said would characterize those who enter the kingdom of heaven. The characteristics are dependence and need. Development of those traits enables praying believers to focus upon God and not upon self.

     The first reference to our Lord praying is in Luke 3:21, as He came out of the waters of Jordan. He appears to be having a two-way conversation with His Father. There, we have the first of those remarkable utterances from Heaven, "this is my son," said at the critical point in the life of Jesus from which He began His ministry. It is an example to every believer that at such important events in our lives we should pray to our heavenly Father, that He may direct our paths by His Holy Spirit. Immediately following His baptism, Jesus, was driven by the Spirit into the desert where He was tempted by Satan. At each critical point in life, Jesus devoted much time to prayer.

     When the Lord prepared to select the apostles, the men who were to be trained and sent out as foundation members of the Christian Church, He spent all night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Jesus needed to be sure He was choosing the right men for this job. Just before His death He prayed again for these men and their special needs in the days that would follow His departure. Jesus had great concern for these men, and it was no easy task protecting and strengthening such raw recruits to be the leaders of the new kingdom. As the suffering drew near, Jesus had much to teach men, like Peter, the way of the Lord. "I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail" (Luke 22:32). This was the real world and they had to face real temptations. It was in such situations that Jesus grew spiritually and it was in such situations His disciples grew to be like Him.

     Another very critical time in the work of Jesus came when He did the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. The year of popularity was really ended, but He continued to be the center of attraction, and great crowds went to Him. As the thousands dispersed from the meal of bread and fish Jesus told His disciples to get into a boat and go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake. He needed to be alone with God. He had been bereaved of His cousin John the Baptizer. He was about to be challenged by the crowd to become their king. So He withdrew to the mountainside and there spent time in prayer (Matt. 14:23). To reject the people's support would be more than a disappointment for them. Jesus loved these people but now they would turn away from Him. This was a turning point in His life and He needed the Father's strength as He laid bare His life in deep humility and patience. Jesus wanted the kingdom to come as much as we all do, as He looked at stricken humanity in all its poverty and sickness. Yet He, too, must wait and pass through the valley of shadows itself.

     In such an atmosphere, He asked them the momentous question "Who do men say that I am?" Luke 9:18 records that this question was asked "while Jesus was praying in private." The crucifixion was approaching and He and the disciples must be prepared. Thus it was that while they were in an attitude of prayer the great revelation was made known. Jesus began to speak to them of His suffering and death. A little later the three most intimate disciples were to go with Jesus to a mountain (Luke 9:28), for the specific purpose of praying, and while there, Jesus was changed, His face and clothing became bright and they saw a vision of Elijah and Moses. This was further preparation for the coming ordeal, occurring while Jesus was praying.

     While the three disciples were on the mountain with Jesus the others were on the lower slopes attempting unsuccessfully to heal a very sick boy. When Jesus returned and healed the boy it was natural for the disciples to ask why they had been unable to perform the miracle. While Matthew's account tells us that they were short of faith, Mark 9: 29 says that Jesus explained to them the need for much prayer.

     The implication in Luke's record is that these great spiritual experiences, revealing the immediate purpose of God and the work of Jesus Christ were linked with prayer. There could be a parallel with our experience. Times of prayer can become the wonderful moments when God reveals something of His guidance and glory.

     There were times when Jesus praised God with much thankfulness for the wonderful things that were happening. One of these was on the return of the 70…As the disciples had gone around preaching and healing, Jesus had seen the powers of darkness shaken and realized that the conquest of evil was in sight. He also saw God’s wisdom in passing by the wise and in-telligent and choosing relative infants to be his disciples. Luke records that "at that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit said, I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth “ (Luke 10:21) Also in the raising of Lazarus Jesus declares aloud "Father, I thank you that you heard me" (John 11:41). It is apparent from the accounts that Jesus need not have made audible public praise, for communication with God was continuous from within. Yet so that the disciples and the people around should know what was going on, He spoke audibly in prayer and thus the praise of God overflowed among those who were with him in spirit.

     However, the glory of the Father can only be fully revealed in the intense suffering and death of the days ahead. From this point onwards until Gethsemane, Jesus utters groans and requests, with tears and sighs of intense agony. These are referred to in Heb. 5: 7, "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from (or out of) death and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” This was learning obedience through what He suffered and attaining maturity through agony of soul. In all these experiences, Jesus wanted only to know and to do the Father's will, so that God could be glorified in the life and death of His Son. It is when we catch the spirit of those glories and groanings, joys and sorrows, for that one reason and purpose, the glory of the Father, that we truly follow Jesus.

     On one occasion, the disciples went to Jesus while He was praying and asked Him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1). Do we need to learn to pray? Surprisingly Jesus had already given them some instruction in prayer during the Sermon on the Mount. What prompted the question now? They were aware that John the Baptist had taught his disciples to pray and that it was the custom of the Pharisee teachers to do the same for their followers. They were also becoming aware perhaps that Jesus' approach to God was very different from anything they or anyone else had ever been taught.

     An examination of the parable of the two sons (Luke 15:11-32) gives us an insight into the way in which we may approach God. We, like the prodigal son, come to our senses at last and realize that we ought to seek our Father. It is one of the most enlightening stories in the world. It teaches us how the most derelict sinner may draw near to the great Creator, the majestic and holy God. If coming to Him so often with our every want breeds contempt by familiarity then we need to ponder His majesty and greatness. Our perception of Him is almost certainly too small. Should we not adopt the attitude and spirit of the prodigal who was determined to go to his father and confess his faults, admitting he hardly deserved the lowest place in the household? We see the outstretched arms of the father wanting him to come home as a son. How much that picture of God reflects the words of Jesus to a sinful woman of Samaria -- "the Father seeks such," to worship him not on a mountain or in a temple, but anywhere, if the searching is without hypocrisy but in sincerity and in reality.

     The same attitude of heart and mind is shown in Jesus' other teachings about prayer recorded in Matthew 6 and Luke 18. It is so easy for committed disciples of the Lord Jesus today, to think that the religious leaders and pagans of the first century were the only ones to have the wrong spirit concerning prayer. When Jesus told the parable of the two men praying in the Temple, He had in mind also those who would believe on Him because of the message of the early disciples. Many a Christian has silently prayed wishfully, “Dear Lord, I give thanks I am not as that Pharisee." There is such a danger to believe that we can enter the presence of God with feelings of pride, achievement and of self-exaltation, to the extent that we suffer from the sin of conceit in our hearts and lives. If that is so, then we shall not be ready for what follows in the teachings of Jesus, nor the model prayers of Matt. 6 and Luke 11. The primary principle of prayer is the hardest lesson to learn, and is focusing attention upon God rather than upon self. In the parable, it is not the words of the sons that are of paramount importance but the words of the father. In the joy of reconciliation, there is a gentleness in the rebuke of the father, not wrath and upbraiding. His one desire was to have the erring son back in the homestead, to restore the relationship and renew the fellowship. The question for the believer today is "Have I truly come home?" Have I really entered into the spirit of that home and have I discovered the compassion and joy of that home? The Father eagerly awaits His child.

© CDMI - Free Bible Students