"It came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place," His disciples probably coming upon Him and standing respectfully by till He was done, "that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray." In response (for He never refuses a sincere petition, but "giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not") He gave them that simple little prayer, commonly called "the Lord's Prayer"--properly, too, for He is the author of it--petitions so simple that a child may lisp them, so deep and all-encompassing that the ripest spirit may lose itself in its depths and find in them the expression of his highest wants. Surely if that is the way to pray, we all have time and words enough to pray to God. If we have not learned the secret of praying for hours, and, as the Lord himself, all night long--we may yet pray, and that effectively and acceptably, in the few words Jesus taught us, if we make them our own, utter them from the heart, and direct them with true purpose to the Father. For we are not heard for our much speaking. But it has been well pointed out that between the simple beginnings of prayer and the great mystery of communion and intercourse with God to which it leads and in which it ends, there is all the difference that exists between the rippling little mountain stream and the vast deep sea into which it flows.

      Immediately after the giving of the Lord's Prayer, the Lord added a parable to teach persistence and importunity in prayer--the parable of the friend at midnight. "And be said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will arise and give him as many as he needeth." (Luke 11:5-8.)

      It is to be noted here that whereas the prayer just given is on the basis of Sonship, this teaching assumes a basis of friendship. For surely the petitioner in the case presumed enough in going to a friend's house at midnight with such a request. He would certainly not have been so presumptuous as to do that if he had not been on a footing of friendship with the man whom he dared to disturb. Now our coming to God with a certain kind of request depends on our friendship with him. Abraham was God's friend, and God was Abraham's. God was Abraham's friend first, and took the initiative; and Abraham fell in with God's advances and became [57] God's friend. Thus the friendship was made complete. Now friendship means common interest, means of fellowship and cooperation, and that involves communion. Because Abraham was His friend, Jehovah revealed His secret purpose regarding Sodom to him. And Abraham understood, So, because God told him what impended, and because Abraham had certain interests in Sodom (and really Abraham's interests were God's also), he launched forth into a remarkable intercession, a series of petitions both humble and bold, reverential and yet almost impudent (Gen. 18).

      The friends of God can do such things without fear of offense; and in doing them are really cooperating with God, for He must have intercessors, that He may show His mercy because of them. Now we also, on the same principle as Abraham, by faith and by obedience, are his friends; and on that account we have common cause with our Lord. He tells us His plans and purposes beforehand. (John 15:14, 15.) We seize the opportunity and intercede according to His good will, importunate even to "shamelessness." [58]

[CTOP 57-58]