Luke 11:1-13
Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer
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.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:1-13 (NIV)
Prayer was an essential part of Jesus’s life and ministry. He modeled a perfect prayer life and encouraged His disciples (us) to never stop praying. In these verses in Luke (and similarly in Matthew), Jesus teaches his disciple how to pray by giving an example through what we now know as the Lord’s Prayer.
Pastor and bestselling author R.T. Kendall adds further thought and clarification: “What, then, is the point of the Lord’s Prayer? Although it is a prayer to be prayed by all of us, it is a pattern prayer. For example, it begins with acknowledging God, worshiping Him and focusing on His interests. Then come the petitions that pertain to us. This pattern is designed to show that we are not to rush into the presence of God, snap our fingers toward heaven and expect the angels to jump! We begin with proper worship.”
In the book The Lost Discipline that will change your life PRAYER, the author, Michael Ross, explores how, why, when, and what we should pray and the affects it can have on our lives. The opening lines in the introduction of the book are these very verses from Luke. Ross goes on in Part 1 of the book, Prayer Basics, to give an outline of how we should pray. Since reading years ago, this method has stuck with me. A shortened version is as follows:
- Praise. Begin your time with God by acknowledging Him. Call Him by as many names as you can think of, such as “Abba, Father, Creator, Savior, King of Kings, Lion and Lamb, Master, Protector, All-Knowing,” and so on. Recalling God’s different attributes and roles helps us remember to whom we are praying.
- Thanks. Next, enter into a time of thanksgiving. Just like the old song says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one.” Remember how fortunate you are to be a child of God. It’s easy to slip into other thoughts and requests, but God deserves our thanks, try to stay focused on thanksgiving, linger in this moment.
- Confession. Chances are, you will be in a different state of mind after spending time praising and thanksgiving. This is a special place that can draw you into a more honest experience with Him. As you humbly come before your Creator, you can let your defenses down and confess your sins. There is something powerful about admitting your mistakes. Confession is freeing and sometimes emotional. It’s not always easy, but God’s continuing work in you is bringing you closer to Him. Remember, He is the One who creates new life in you.
- Petition. After you have had a moment of confession with God, turn your prayers toward your needs. It’s possible that your requests will be different after your time recognizing God, thanking Him, and bringing your innermost struggles to light. Your heart and mind will be more in line with God’s desires, and your requests will be more focused on His will, not your own. The Lord wants to hear your needs and desires and also wants you to lift up others in prayer.
- Submission. Just as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, seek God’s will, not your own. This act of submission is powerful. It is a reminder that prayer is not a ritual of asking favors of a distant God but rather a personal connection with our Creator and Savior. He is on a mission and has included us in His plan.
Prayer is an investment in our relationship with God. It’s our way of connecting with God, not just a task to be completed, a ritual, or a series of stress-induced pleas. In the verses above, Jesus encourages us to be persistent and assured in our prayers. God hears us and will provide, but we should not pray just from our heads reciting words we’ve learned. It should come from our hearts, our minds, our whole being.
That doesn’t mean we can’t or shouldn’t be prayerful in our thoughts throughout the day, but deep, reflective, devoted prayer should also be a nonnegotiable time in our day. Now, I acknowledge life is busy and exhausting and sometimes getting into the right headspace for this type of prayer can be difficult. I find that starting with Lord’s Prayer sometimes is the right move for me to channel my thoughts in the right direction. And sometimes the Lord’s Prayer is THE prayer, the ONLY prayer, I need – prayed diligently, with thoughtful intention, it can clear out the mistakes of the today (or previous day) and the worries of the future, allowing the Lord’s words to settle into our hearts and transform us.
Questions for Reflection:
- If prayer was an essential part of Christ’s life, shouldn’t it be the same for us?
- How can our prayer life be better? How can it be different? Stronger? Characterized by more passion and power?
- Try using the prayer method outlined above – How did it make you feel?
- I encourage you to read The Lost Discipline that will change your life PRAYER by Michael Ross.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth, Teacher and Savior,
Thank you for teaching us to pray:
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 trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
The power,
and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
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