Learning Prayer from the Master
by Mike Killebrew
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.’”
Luke 11:1-4
There are certain Scriptures that I read that are easy for me to empathize with the characters. In this text above, I can understand the disciples’ request. “Lord, teach us to pray.” I’m certain that had I been there, with the other disciples, I could have been the one making the request or at least nodding in approval if it was voiced by another. I would have enjoyed the lesson, sitting on the edge of my seat, listening to him respond. I enjoy the lesson today. I’m grateful that Jesus took some time to teach His disciples and that Luke was inspired to write it down.
This conversation between Jesus and His disciples is comforting for me. It is freeing to realize that the disciples, who had a front row seat to the ministry of Jesus, asked that question. His disciples wanted and needed to learn how to pray. They had been following Him, learning from Him, and wanting to be more like him. I’ve been a believer and disciple of Jesus for over 30 years, and I recognize I still have much to learn about prayer. I’m grateful that Jesus leaves room for us to learn, to ask questions, and to practice.
As we think about the 2024 blog theme of All Eyes on Jesus, like the disciples, I want to learn from Jesus. I want to focus my attention on Him, as I continue to learn to pray. Here are few observations about Jesus that are helpful for me to reflect on, perhaps they will also be helpful for you as well. These are simple observations and sometimes I need to be reminded of the simple things.
Jesus made prayer a priority. We can see from his example that He frequently practiced prayer; it was a practice consistently recorded by His disciples in the Gospels. His ministry began (Luke 3:21) and ended (Luke 23:21) with prayer. David Roadcup, in his book on Prayer and Fasting, describes Jesus making prayer a priority. “Jesus our Lord clearly understood the importance of prayer in His experience here on earth. After His public ministry began, His schedule was intense, and His time was dramatically pressured. In the midst of all of the need around Him, He still specifically planned times for meeting with His Heavenly Father (Matt. 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 6:46; 9:18). He worked at opening space for this important discipline. He would leave the crowds and even His apostles, going to a quit and lonely place, to create time for communication with His Father. He would get up early, stay up late (sometimes all night) and not allow the pressure of His schedule or the demands of people to stop Him from this appointed time.”
Jesus asked for help. He wasn’t above admitting He needed help; He would ask His Father in prayer. Even being fully God, He still asked the Father for help. In Matthew 26:41 we see Jesus ask His disciples, (Peter, James, and John) to watch and pray in the garden of Gethsemane, just before His arrest and in the last hours of His life. His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow, He fell with His face to the ground, and He prayed. Jesus asked others for help, to join Him in prayer.
Jesus prayed for others, with others, and alone. In Matthew 19:13, we read, “Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.” Luke 9:28 reads, “[Jesus] took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.” Luke 5:16 reads, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” As much as Jesus understood the value of praying with and for others, He also understood the need to pray alone.
Jesus prayed short prayers and long prayers. When He taught the disciples how to pray, he tells them specifically, “when you pray, say...” It was a short prayer, short enough to be easily memorized and serve as an example of a sprint rather than a marathon prayer. But Jesus also knew how to dedicate long periods of time to prayer. As we read in Luke 6:12, Jesus “spent the night praying to God.” We, too, need to be able to offer short prayers, as well dedicate long periods of time in our life rhythms to prayer.
In today's fast-paced world, filled with countless distractions and obligations, it can be challenging to carve out dedicated time for prayer. However, following Jesus' example, we can create intentional space in our schedules. Whether it's waking up earlier in the morning, finding a quiet place during the day, or setting aside time before bed, prioritizing prayer allows us to connect with God and align our hearts with His.
Jesus demonstrated humility and dependence on God through his willingness to ask for help in prayer. This serves as a reminder for us to approach prayer with a similar posture of humility, acknowledging our need for God's guidance, strength, and provision in every aspect of our lives.
Whether it was laying hands on the sick, interceding for His disciples, or spending solitary moments in prayer, Jesus's prayer life was marked by a deep concern for the well-being of others. Likewise, we are called to lift up our friends, family, and even strangers in prayer, entrusting their needs and concerns to God's care.
Jesus's approach to prayer encompassed both short, concise prayers and extended periods of intimate communion with the Father. The Lord's Prayer, which he taught to His disciples, serves as a model for succinct, focused prayer, while His habit of spending entire nights in prayer demonstrates the value of prolonged, unhurried communion with God. In our own prayer lives, we can find a balance between these two forms of prayer, offering up quick petitions during our daily activities while also setting aside unhurried moments to dwell in God's presence.
As we seek to emulate Jesus in our prayer lives, let us prioritize prayer, approach it with humility and dependence, intercede for others, and embrace both brevity and depth in our communication with God. By following His example, we can cultivate a vibrant and transformative prayer life that draws us closer to the heart of God and empowers us to fulfill His purposes in the world.
