Jesus made it a point to teach his followers how to pray. He gave to them an example prayer recorded in Matthew 6 and Luke 11, and this showed them what a conversation with God looks like. In Luke 11, we read that they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray after their master had finished with a time of prayer. This seems to indicate they were moved by seeing him spend time in conversation with his Father.
Most of us who follow Jesus today would probably admit we need to spend more time with our Lord in prayer. I have yet to hear someone say, “I feel really good about my prayer life.” It’s important for us to honestly assess this aspect of our relationship with God and seek to grow. It’s also important to remember that prayer is learned and learning is a process. This model prayer in Luke 11:1-4 is including in our reading for this week as we focus on the discipline of prayer, and it is given to us so that we may learn from it regardless of where we are in our journey of faith.
And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
Luke 11:2-4, English Standard Version
This prayer is not meant to be repeated verbatim. We are to learn from Jesus’s prayer as his disciples did. Knowing that Jesus began his earthly ministry with the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” that the coming kingdom of God was a major focus of his teaching, that his very coming was to advance the kingdom, and that the coming kingdom was even included in this very prayer, we can then understand this teaching about prayer in light of God’s kingdom.
- God is holy. We approach him with reverence. We seek His glory. And He is glorified as people come to faith in Him and live in obedience to Him. People who come to faith in Christ acknowledge Him as holy and they realize His name is sacred.
- God’s kingdom comes to earth as more people acknowledge Him as Lord, realize His ways are right and true, and begin following Him.
- Just as God provided bread from heaven for His people in the wilderness as they moved toward the promised land, we ask God to provide for our basic needs as we move forward with the work He has given us to do: the work of making disciples.
- Forgiveness comes through confession of sin. The cleansing power of God prepares us to advance His kingdom as we reach out to others, forgiving those who have wronged us.
- As we follow the path of advancing God’s kingdom, we are led into righteousness and delivered from temptation.
There is much to be learned about prayer, but this gives us a foundation. As we begin to pray in this way, we find ourselves filled with the Holy Spirit and emptied of self. We align our desires with God’s desires. Our hearts are in tune with His.
Oh Lord, your kingdom come.
Dan Londeree 