Correspondence.

M. H.— What explanation to give a mistress for not repeating the Lord’s prayer as she wishes? The prayer that the Lord taught his disciples (Matt. 6, Luke 11) contained desires perfectly suited to the time and circumstances then present, before His own departure and the Spirit’s advent. That it was not intended as a permanent form to be used by Christians appears from several considerations. (1) The Lord promised that when He was on high whatsoever they asked the Father in His name He would give. He adds that they had not up to that time asked anything in His name (John 16:23, 2423And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23‑24)), although they had been using the “Lord’s prayer” for years. So the believer is now privileged to ask in the name of Christ, which the disciples did not do when the Lord was with them, in spite of the fact that they used the temporary form which the Lord Himself taught them. (2) The Holy Spirit is now here to lead the Christian to pray as he ought, which was not the case in the days of the disciples. See Romans 8:26, 2726Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26‑27); Ephesians 6:1818Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:18); Jude 2020But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, (Jude 20). (3) There is no trace of the use of this prayer after Pentecost, and the prayers given in the Acts and the Epistles are totally different in the character of the petitions offered. (4) Thanksgiving, which is to accompany Christian prayer and supplication (Phil. 4:66Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6)), is absent from the prayer referred to. (5) As the wording of the prayer in Matthew is different from that of Luke (especially in the R. V.), the question arises which form is to be used, the longer or the shorter? If it were to be repeated daily would not the form be identical in both Gospels?
At the same time we should avoid thinking there is any imperfection in this prayer. This could not be. It was perfectly and beautifully adapted to the time when the Lord gave it. But we have His own word that they were to pray differently when He was gone. We now look for the Lord to come to receive into a prepared place on high rather than the reign of peace on earth when the will of God shall be done here as in heaven. The Lord taught how to pray then, but it is the Spirit Who teaches now, as the scriptures referred to above prove conclusively. No doubt if your mistress saw you had conscientious reason based upon Scripture for not repeating this prayer she would cease to press you.