He Said, 'Teach Us To Pray'

"Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.' " - Luke 11:1 ESV

This morning I picture myself in the disciples' shoes watching Jesus from day to day. John the Baptizer told people what to do. He gave clear instruction all day long. Jesus wasn't ordering them around. Jesus talked to His Father and lived His life in front of them.

I imagine this one disciple longed for the clear direction he saw John's disciples had. He also must have been intrigued by Jesus' life of intimacy. Maybe he just wanted to compare methods and see how Jesus' 'method' of prayer compared to John's 'method.'

They must have been surprised by what Jesus said next. I have read and heard this many times but I am surprised again this morning.

"And he said to them, 'When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.' And he said to them, 'Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!' " - Luke 11:2-13 ESV

It is powerful, isn't it? You could look at every word and phrase here and get something, couldn't you?

I like the 'lend me three loaves' portion this morning. Jesus paints God as a friend but says that God doesn't answer prayers like this one because of friendship. Friendship may be an access point but it's not the reason God answers.

I also like the recognition of God's character, holiness and majesty and Jesus' grace attitude. John said, 'Repent!' as a command but Jesus said, 'When you pray...' almost as if He was saying, 'I pray but you may not be thinking that way but if you are going to do this of your own free will because you desire communication...'

I have been praying for a long time. It isn't a new concept to me. I've been a prayer chaplain. Still. I feel I need to relearn this. If I am going to talk to God I want it to be real and satisfying for Him. I don't have to talk to Him and He doesn't have to talk to me but as I sit here putting myself in Jesus' disciples' shoes looking at Him pray I marvel at His relationship and power and I long for His leadership.

"You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." - James 4:2-3 ESV

This passage describes how I am sometimes but Jesus isn't this way. He never 'asked amiss'. I have a lot to learn and Jesus is the One who can teach these lessons. His life, death, resurrection, ascension and session are lessons in themselves.

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