Thursday, March 5, 2009

a perpetual prayer

On this eighth day of Lent, Brother Tilden offers words on the Lord's prayer, and ours:

THE LORD'S PRAYER (Scripture)

BUT thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
And take heed. to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, . . . and cares of this life; . . . Watch ye therefore, and pray always.
Matt. vi. Luke xxi.
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THE LORD'S PRAYER (Tilden's Meditations)

"THIS prayer keeps God daily before us as "Our Father;" teaches us to hallow His name in speech and work, and to bring the kingdom of God here and now. The forgiving love of God we nightly pray for shall remind us that the forgiveness we receive is not ours to hold, but to pass on to our brother man, even till seventy times seven. Prayer is the key to hidden riches and strength which no other key will unlock. What would tempted ones do without it ? The spirit of our own prayer will bring of itself deliverance from the power of evil. The Christian prays a perpetual prayer, not only on knees, but with unwearied feet, tireless hands, sweet smile. No life of nobleness was ever lived without some personal knowledge of the presence chamber of the Great All- Father. Let us live in the spirit of this prayer. It contains a depth of wisdom that still feeds the world's best thought.


Blessings

1 comment:

David G. Markham said...

Tilden nailed it:

"The forgiving love of God we nightly pray for shall remind us that the forgiveness we receive is not ours to hold, but to pass on to our brother man, even till seventy times seven."

All the best,

David Markham