One day, as Jesus was in prayer, one of his disciples came over to him as he finished and said, “Would you teach us a model prayer a that we can pray, just like John did for his disciples?” So Jesus taught them this prayer: “Our Heavenly Father, may the glory of your name be the center on which our life turns. Luke 11:2 (TPT)
Talking to God – Teach Us How To Pray – Part 1
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | PART 7
Jesus disciples asked him how to pray. (That's a ‘selah' moment right there…)
Prayer can seem simple… it's just talking to God, right? Conversation with the Divine. A good old chit-chat.
But straight away, we’ve already mentioned stuff that can make prayer seem weird and complicated. (Talking to God… for one) Remember, when we get really familiar with something, we tend to lose the mystery and wonder of “said thing.”
Usually, when you talk to someone you can at least hear them, if not see them. There’s mutual give and take (in MOST cases… as long as you don’t hog the convo), questions and statements, laughter, tears, breaths, pauses… it’s a physical, mental and emotional exercise. I have a friend that I talk to most days, by phone or in person, and it's not anything like prayer (sorry babe *wink*).
When I pray, I never see God, I don’t hear him audibly, there isn’t often (at all) a balanced exchange of words and thoughts and questions and insights and comments and jokes and stories.
However, I have done a lot of praying in my life, from crazy pentecostal all night prayer meetings, to the written notes I’d leave for God on my bedroom floor at night. My conversations with God aren’t exactly like those I have with my friends. I get the sentiment, and I tell him everything like I would tell a friend. But he’s not just a friend, he’s more than a friend…
I ask God all the time, now: teach me how to pray.
I’m sure I’ve got more to learn.
How can I be present TO and WITH the Divine, and TO and WITH those I love, interact with, and share this beautiful, crazy world with?
When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he didn’t say: “it’s just talking to God like you would a friend…” He showed them a prayer.
In the Ancient Hebrew world, Rabbi’s and their disciples had their own prayer. It was part of their identity, and it belonged to the group. That’s why Jesus disciples asked him if he could teach them a prayer, “just like John did for his disciples.”
And it's interesting for two reasons:
1) Jesus hadn't yet given his group a prayer like other Rabbi's would have.
2) The prayer that Jesus taught them after they asked for one, is similar to many of the ancient prayers found in Hebrew traditions, with a few slight changes.
But of course, he wasn’t teaching them the structure of prayer; he wasn't giving them a set of words to recite… he was inviting them into a deeper connection between God, the world and themselves.
After all, what is prayer but connection to the Divine? And in turn, connection with what he is connected too.
It’s much more than talking.
Your turn… Leave us your comments below.
Go to Part 2 – Public Prayer »
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