“One of the most startling truths about prayer is this: prayer can be taught and learnt.”

(D. A. Carson, Ed. Teach Us To Pray: Prayer in the Bible and the World, The Paternoster Press and Baker Book House, 1990, 13)

The Lord’s Prayer— An Excellent Pattern

“Prayer has many aspects—worship; thankfulness; praise; expressions of love, confession, and submission; petitions or requests of God.”

“The Lord’s Prayer is an excellent pattern for us to study and follow. Note the various aspects of this prayer as shown here: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven [an expression of love and dependence]. Holy is your name [worship]. Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven [submission]. Give us this day our daily bread [request]. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors [confession]. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil [request]: for yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever [praise]. Amen’” (Matthew 6:9-13). (First Steps for the New Christian: Everything You Need to Grow a Christian Life, Meridian Publications, 1992, 44)

Prayer (Thomson)

 First, then, what did Christ teach concerning the nature of prayer? Christian prayer, He taught, has certain distinctive qualities or characteristics.

(i) Christian prayer should be characterized by importunity. This is taught in the parable of the friend who came knocking on a neighbor’s door at midnight to borrow three loaves ([Lk.] 11:5-8).

(ii) Tenacity should also characterize Christian prayer. Christ taught this in the parable of the widow who pestered the unjust judge until she received redress for the injustices under which she labored (Luke 18:1-8).

(iii) Christian prayer is also characterized by humility. Jesus taught this in the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14).

(iv) Charity ought also to characterize prayer. Christ taught this in the parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matt. 18:21-35).

(v) Christian prayer should also be characterized by simplicity. Jesus emphasizes this in Matthew 6:5f., 23:14, Mark 12:38-40, Luke 20:47, where all parade in prayer is condemned.

(vi) Intensity is also of the essence of Christian prayer; cf. Mark 13:33, 14:38, Matthew 26:41, where Jesus urges watchfulness in prayer.

(vii) Unity will also characterize Christian prayer (Matt. 18:19)… the Lord had just assured the Apostles that the Church’s judicial decisions would be ratified in heaven, so long as these decisions arose out of united action by the Church…

(viii) Expectancy is also of essence of true prayer. This is perhaps the most important aspect of Jesus’ teaching on the nature of prayer…

(James G. S. S. Thomson, The Praying Christ: A Study of Jesus’ Doctrine and Practice of Prayer, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959, 12-21; Excerpt from Chapter One, The Lord’s Teaching on Prayer)