Luke 11:1-13 | I Thessalonians 5:16-24
Jesus does not say that prayer is “just talking to God.” You might suppose such a notion is okay for a bit, early in the Christian life as one adjusts to the idea of communicating with the divine.
But with as many specific questions we might have wished Jesus had been asked and he had answered - Why mosquitoes? Why do kids get cancer? Should I vote and for whom? - he did answer this one:
How should we pray?
And he didn’t say, “Just talk to God.”
Instead, he gave us the form of what we most often call The Lord’s Prayer.
And he elaborated even further with several short illustrations to say that everyone should pray. That we should pray often. That we should be bold and honest.
So…pray. And if it helps to think of it as “just talking to God,” that’s okay. But do pay attention to how Jesus told the disciples to do it.
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Jesus told them, “When you pray, say:
‘Father, uphold the holiness of your name.
Bring in your kingdom.
Give us the bread we need for today.
Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who has wronged us.
And don’t lead us into temptation.’”
He also said to them, “Imagine that one of you has a friend and you go to that friend in the middle of the night. Imagine saying, ‘Friend, loan me three loaves of bread because a friend of mine on a journey has arrived and I have nothing to set before him.’ Imagine further that he answers from within the house, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I assure you, even if he wouldn’t get up and help because of his friendship, he will get up and give his friend whatever he needs because of his friend’s brashness. And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened.
“Which father among you would give a snake to your child if the child asked for a fish? If a child asked for an egg, what father would give the child a scorpion? If you 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?”
I Thessalonians 5:16-24
Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t suppress the Spirit. Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages, but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good. Avoid every kind of evil. Now, may the God of peace himself cause you to be completely dedicated to him; and may your spirit, soul, and body be kept intact and blameless at our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming. The one who is calling you is faithful and will do this.
Prayer
God,
What a thing that we can even communicate with you. To think that these words I’m saying/typing/thinking would be considered by you is - respectfully - rather ridiculous. But I’m going to keep going with it.
So help me, God.
Help me today as I try my best to live simply, honestly, faithfully.
May all that’s good and holy proceed forth from you here. Make in my life like it is in yours, within your Kingdom. Give me and those within my reach the things we need for this day. And forgive us what needs only the grace you can give, even as we seek to extend such gracious forgiveness toward others.
Keep us from temptation, which is to lead us into your holiness.
I ask all this for your glory,
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.