提要
耶穌教我們如何禱告，而我經常發現，與祂的禱告比起來，我們大部分人的禱告似乎很複雜，耶穌的禱告則是那麼簡單。耶穌說，我們有時就像外邦人一樣，以為用很多重複話，或長篇大論就必蒙垂聽。但耶穌並不是這樣，祂要我們禱告時簡短、直接。所以，祂給我們上了一堂禱告課。
在這裡我們只提出幾點觀察：首先，禱告的焦點應集中在父身上；祂在我們的禱告裡永遠應居中心。在我們開始為一些事祈求上帝以前，應該先花一點時間提醒自己上帝是誰，並定睛在祂的聖潔和超卓的神性上。「您的名被尊為神，您的國降臨，您的旨意實現」焦點在上帝身上：祂的名、祂的國、和祂的旨意。當我們優先專注於上帝，我們便能對接下去所要禱告的任何事採取一種嶄新而平衡的觀點。
有時候我們的禱告是對負面或緊急情況所作的反射動作。我們急急忙忙的告訴上帝祂應該怎麼做、我們要什麼、以及祂必須現在就做的重要性。
如果你能先定睛在祂身上，從祂的聖潔、祂國度的計畫、和祂對你生命的旨意來看你自己，那麼，許多「緊迫」的事情就能得到緩和。然後你可以回到自己身上：「賜給我們日用的飲食；免我們的債如同我們免了人的債；不叫我們遇見試探，救我們脫離兇惡。」我們強調我們肉體和靈魂的需要，人際關係上的需要，以及最後，我們永恆歸宿的需要。在禱告裡，我們必須永遠牢記，我們是前往一個永恆的國度──耶穌用以作為祂事工中心的天國。所以，我們的禱告永遠應以上帝為開始，集中在祂身上，讚美祂，感謝祂，敬拜祂，以此為前提，再懇求祂來滿足我們的需要。
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Overview
Jesus teaches us how to pray and I’ve often noted how simple this prayer is and how complex most of our praying seems to be in comparison. Like the pagan, Jesus says, we sometimes think we’ll be heard for our much speaking, for our babbling, for our repetitions. They use many words, as He says in verse 7; not so with Jesus. He wants us to be short with our words and direct. So He gives a prayer lesson.
Just few observations: First of all, the focus is our Father in heaven, which is the way it must always be in prayer. Before we start asking God for things, we’ve got to take time to remind ourselves of who He is and focus on His holiness and majestic transcendence. “Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” The focus is on Him, His name, His kingdom, and His will. As we concentrate first and foremost on Him, anything else that may follow in our prayer takes on a fresh and balanced perspective.
Sometimes our prayers are a knee-jerk reaction to a negative or urgent stimulus. And we “rush in” to tell God what He’s got to do, and what we want, and how important it is He do it now.
Well, if you’ll take time to focus in on Him, first of all, and see yourself in the context of His holiness, His plan for the kingdom and His will for your life, then some of these other urgencies become tempered and balanced. After this, you can focus on yourself. “Five us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts and we have also forgiven our debtors. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” We stress our physical and spiritual needs, our relationship needs and ultimately our eternal destiny needs. We must always remember in prayer that we are headed for an eternal kingdom – this very kingdom of heaven that Jesus makes the centre of His ministry. Thus, as we pray, we always begin with God Himself, focusing in on Him, praising Him, thanking Him, worshipping Him. And in that context, imploring Him to meet us at our point of need.
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