Derek Thomas, Christian Focus, 2001, 124 pages, 3 of 5 stars

The great Scottish minister Robert McCheyne said if you want to humble Christians, ask about their prayer lives.

Prayer is difficult. It doesn’t come naturally and, thus, must be learned. Jesus taught his disciples how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, and Derek Thomas aids us in explaining that prayer. This book is an exposition of the Lord’s Prayer to help Christians in learning the priority of prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer contains six brief petitions (three toward God, three toward man) and embodies three of the four key elements of prayer: adoration, petition, and confession (the other being thanksgiving).

Here is a recommendation: use each day of family worship time to adopt one of the six petitions in the Lord’s Prayer, then employ Thomas’ work as an ally in explaining those requests.

Excerpts:

1. [Regarding “Hallowed by thy name”] It is not that God is made more holy than he is, but that he is more holy than we have imagined him to be. We are to pray that he will become more glorious in our eyes.” (39)
2. [Regarding “Thy will be done”] It is a sign of meekness, not weakness, to add, “If it be your will.” (63)
3. [Regarding forgiving the unrepentant] To hint that forgiveness may be possible without repentance is to fly in the face of the gospel way. God does not forgive without repentance!” (90)