April 2003 Devotional

It’s late, and I should probably be in bed by now.  But I’m pondering something one of Jesus’ disciples said.  In Luke 11:1, we read that … “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.  When He finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”   What follows is recognizable to most of us.  It’s known as The Lord’s Prayer.  A simple, six-line verse, which after honoring our Heavenly Father asks Him for life’s basic necessities – daily bread, forgiveness, and protection.  We’ll talk more about that later.

What is striking to me right now at 11pm is that the disciple (we don’t know which one) asked Jesus to “teach us to pray.”  Notice how the word “how” is missing?  It’s a subtle omission, but telling.  If I ask someone to teach me to dance, it reveals that I don’t know how to dance.  But if I ask someone to teach me how to dance, it could mean that while I have danced, I really don’t know how to do it right or best.  See the difference?  This disciple didn’t just want to know how to pray; he wanted to learn prayer itself right from the get-go.  He wanted to learn to pray from the very Author of prayer.  And Jesus teaches him – and us.

We are taught that the recipient of our prayers is an intimate family member, yet deserves the utmost reverence.  His name is “Father,” and even his name is holy.

We learn that, despite what newspaper headlines may say and how badly our day may be going, God’s plans and purposes are coming to pass.  We share in that excitement by proclaiming “…your Kingdom come!”

Jesus teaches that mundane, every day things which affect our lives are important to God.  That’s why this prayer asks God to “…give us each day our daily bread.”  The Greek word for “daily” is actually a compound word meaning “day by day.”  It recognizes that our sustenance and ability to live and survive is totally dependent upon God’s grace and goodness which we desperately need each and every day.  “Bread” is representative of everything we need in life.  So Jesus could have easily said “breath to breathe” or “a car to drive.”  The point is, we need God for everything, and he wants us to come to him daily for those things.

But however important “bread” is, people are the most important thing in God’s book.  That’s why Jesus teaches us to pray for “forgiveness.”  We need to keep our relationship with God and others pure and right.

Finally, Jesus teaches us to ask for God’s protection from temptation, so that we do not succumb.  It doesn’t mean that we will never be tested, but it asks for extra protection.

Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer has some minor variations, and the Protestants have tacked on to the ending some additional words of praise.  But basically, this is all Jesus said when he taught His disciples to pray.  The rest of His teaching was by example, as Jesus slipped away frequently to get alone with His Father, pour out His heart, and just share life.  That’s what it really means to pray.  And if Jesus needed to pray, how much more so do we?

The how to pray is revealed elsewhere in scripture as we are taught to pray humbly (Matthew 6:5-8), with conviction and perseverance (Luke 11:5-13), at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17), in all places (Mark 6:46, Acts 10:9), with great faith (James 5:15), and a clean heart (1 Peter 3:7), in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20), even for our enemies (Matthew 5:44), even when we don’t know the words to say (Romans 8:26), and always with thankfulness (Philippians 4:6).  And that’s just a small taste of the how.

Father,

Thank you for having Jesus teach us to pray.

And thank you for showing us so many examples of how to pray.

Now help us pray!

Amen.

Okay.  I’m going to bed now.

Love,

Lisa Kinakin