Christ, the exaltation of our Divine Father in the minds 1111d in the lives of mm. h ~uggPsl~ to us the oonsidC'ration whether we 1tre as much concerned as our Master would ha~·e _us ~ fo~ this great isBlle. How much do we care that God's N11me le prof11ned a~ 1t_1•, his will left undone and v10l1tted as it is, hie claims disregarded as they are, by th~ irreverent, by the. disloyal., by the disobedient children of men? In prayer our mmd should turn readily aud frequently to this theme. Il. THAT WE SHOULD ABK FOB Goo's HELP IN THE OONDUCT OF OUR TEMPORAL AFF A ms .. "Give us day by <lily our daily bre1td" is a petition that not only warrants, but re~mres, tha~ we make our bod_ily _necessities 1tnd all matters pertaining to our world-l_1fe the subJect of pray_er. It 1s right to ask for st,rength and skill, for wisdom nnd gu1d11nce, that we may d1sche.rge our de.ily duties e.nd earn our livelihood honestly iu the sight of a.II men. It i~ wrong to leave this out of om de.Uy devotion, Jesus Christ would have us look to God for the supply of temporal needs and ask his ble>'Sing and a.id in securing it. ~e shall wor~ all the more worthily, honourably, uprightly, through the day for ask10g God's guide.nee e.t its commencoment; we shall make a b~tter use of whe.t we cam if we continually seek strength of God to ee.rn it, III. THAT WE SHOULD SEEK EARNESTLY FOB THE DIVINE FAVOUR. ,, Forgive us our sins," etc. It should be a matter of vital interest to us that we are walking in the lig:ht of God's loving favour, our sins forgiven, and ourselves regarded as his beloved children, reconciled to hiin in Jesus Christ. God's abiding favour should be the very sunshine of our soul, the presence of which makes all things bright, the absence of which throws everything into dark shadow. IV. THAT WE SHOULD PBAY FOB Drvnra HELP IN OUB SPffiITUAL STRUGGLE. "Lead us not," etc. We should be daily recognizing the fact that our condition here is that of men th1tt a.re fighting a hard battle against powerful enemies ; that we need continual deliverance from evils which beset us; that the worst foes that 11ssail us are those which would lead us into sin and down to shame and death. In this supreme struggle we need the arm of the Almighty on our side.· If he be on our side, we shall conquer; if not-, we shall be defeated. Therefore let us seek daily help from our heavenly Father for the daily conflict through which we pass on our way homeward. V. THAT THERE ARE TWO SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS under which a.lone we can expect to find favour with God. 1. 'l'hat we breathe a forgiving spirit in our relations with our fellow-men (ver. 4). 2. That we shun the path where perilous temptation lurks; for how ca.n we ask God to" lead us not" thither, when we deliberately walk into it ?-C. , Ver. 2.-77ie will of God. "Thy will be done, ae in heaven, eo in earth." A few very short words with a very large meaning. We may ask what doing God's will here on earth as in heaven- • L Wom.n MEAN TO oua BACE. It would mean very much more than the triumph of the Stron;.! One. l. It would mean the rule of the absolutely Holy One-of the.t One who only wills that which ie -pure, just, good, in every -possible relation. It would mean therefore, the abolition of all wrongs of every kind, and the establishment of the riuht 'and the true in every scene e.nd sphere. 2. Also the guidance of the perfectly Wise One--of that One who chooses the very best means to secure the right ends. It would bring about the adoption of the wisest course in the pursu~t of every _worthy aim. 3. Also the supremacy of the altogether Benevolent One-of him who des1ree the perfect welfare of all }ijjj creatures, of all hie children-their temporal prosperity, their spiritual well-being. II. WOULD KEAN TO OURSELVES. The light in which it would present itself to our minds would, perhaps, be thi&--tliat 011,r Divine Father was exalted to the throne of humanity; that he whom we worship e.nd whom we love and obey had become the object of the reverence, the affection, the obedience, of all mankind; that he who, in our heart's deepest convictions, is alone worthy to receive the homage ot the race, was receivinu it; and in that crowning triumph we should find our victory and our joy. Ill. DEM;NDS OF us THAT IT ,MAY BE BEALIZF.D. 1. And the firet demand is that we ourselves become subject to hie holy will. And f:? do this we m~~t (1) accept ~ie Son as our Divine Teacher, Redeemer, Lord (John vu. 29; 1 John 1h. 23); (2) live in daily obedience to his will as revealed in hie Word; (3) bow in meekness of epirit to his will, whatever he may o~dain for us. 2. And the second is that we seek, in prayor r.n. ~r. 1-54.] TITE OOSPEL ACCORDING TO BT. LUKF:. st n
tor his transforming innuence, that the will of evil men may be overthmwn, and hiR holy will be dono; that he would Roncl forth noble workers into the great hrirve3t-field (oh. x. 2); that be wouM greatly bless tbe labours of those who are sowing tbe seed of tho kingdom, e.nd cause it to multiply II hundredfold. 3. And that by our lives and by our lips we commend the truth of hie Word, the gospel of hie gra.ce, to the under- standing and the conscience of all whom we can aJiect.-O.