Teach Us How to Pray

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought,but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. – Romans 8.26

He (Jesus) was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” – Luke 11:1-2

Jesus was missing. Again. When the disciples noticed this, they set about to locate him. They knew what he was doing: he’d gone off the beaten path to find a quiet place to pray. You’d think that Jesus, of all people, being that He came from God and was God, wouldn’t be concerned about praying. He’d have a direct line if anybody did! But we know that Jesus took prayer seriously, even passionately. He prayed so hard in the Garden of Gethsemane that sweat like drops of blood flowed from his pores. (Luke 22:44)

So this time, when the disciples found Jesus, they were struck by the peace that flowed from him and touched them. It stirred them to desire to pray as he did. So one dared to ask Jesus, “Teach us to pray…” What Jesus said next was one of the most revolutionary words He ever spoke, “When you pray, say: Father…” Jesus invited His disciples to approach the Almighty and Eternal God of the Universe with the boundless and open love of a child for her “Daddy.” The God of Mystery and Majesty was also the God of Relationship who knew and understood each disciple’s basic needs even before the prayer began.

We are invited to pray as Jesus did. Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, and begin with “Our Father,” we are invited into this intimate relationship with our Maker and our Savior. And the Apostle Paul tells us, that if that’s all we know how to say, the Spirit will intercede for us, “with sighs too deep for words.” Imagine! We only have to begin the prayer and God the Holy Spirit will finish it for us!

I invite anyone visiting in Trenton to come to a time of prayer any Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. in the Parlor across from the sanctuary. And I look forward to meeting you — and praying with you — in the many places where we share ministry together.

Grace and Peace! Paul