Teach Us to Pray

A favorite prayer request of mine in the New Testament is the request that the disciples made of Jesus: "Teach us to pray..." (Luke 11:1) It's a request that I'm making more and more to the Lord myself. Prayer is one of those things that the more you peer into it and do it, the more you realize you don't know!

Luke 11:1,2 says, "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.' And he said to them, 'When you pray, say...'"

I want to make a couple of observations about this: first, Jesus was praying in a particular place and for a certain length of time ("when he finished"). This suggests that Jesus practiced "ceasing prayer" - in other words, a conscious and set-apart time and place to meet with His Father without engaging in other things at the same time. Of course, He practiced "unceasing prayer" as well, but the fact that He prayed in set-apart time and in a certain place shows how important it is that our prayer life have these aspects too.

This will play out differently from one person to the next, but conscious and intentional time set apart for talking and relating to God without engaging in other activities is imperative for the health of our life in Him. Not having regular time to talk with God in worship and prayer but instead trying to maintain the relationship on the run is like a married couple living their whole relationship on the run without concentrated time together in which they aren't engaging in other things at the same time.

The second observation about this verse is that there was something about Jesus' prayer life that caused them to want to learn to pray as he did. I believe this shows how powerful one's prayer life can be in the lives of others. There is something about a person of true prayer that awakens hunger in the hearts of others, and evidently this was true of Jesus in His walk here on earth, and it continues to be so, because now He ever lives to intercede at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 7:25). Not only does His prayer life (on earth and in heaven) inspire and awaken desire, but He Himself is the greatest Teacher of prayer.

Finally, Jesus didn't refuse their request but responded quickly to teach them. His own prayer life quickened hunger in them, causing them to request help, and when they did, He gladly taught them. In his book "Teach Me to Pray", Andrew Murray says, "Jesus did not teach His disciples how to preach but how to pray. To know how to speak to God is more vital than knowing how to speak to men. It is power with God not man that is of supreme importance." I love that Jesus responded gladly to the disciples' request, because it encourages me to make the same request and gives me assurance that He will answer through the Spirit's quickening of His written Word and through His direct leading of each of His children.

So Lord, I ask You to teach us to pray...we don't know how to pray rightly but You're eager to teach and help us by Your Spirit. Send Your Spirit to breathe on us, first of all with desire to pray and then with a spirit of prayer and supplication that comes from You. Quicken Your Word and help each of us to grow in knowing the unique way that we each relate through prayer with You Who is Life. May our barrenness in prayer lead us to You, the perfect Teacher and Enabler. Thank You for hearing us, in Jesus' name.