If we have ever wondered about how to pray, we are in good company. Even the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. (Luke 11:1) In previous blogs we mentioned this was an unusual request since the Jews were not strangers to the concept of prayer. Unfortunately the Pharisees had turned prayer into a ritualistic stumbling block for many through public display. Their goal was not to have heartfelt communication with God but be seen by men. They wanted to exalt themselves, not God.
The disciples realized this and wanted Jesus’ help in learning how to pray. So Jesus told them prayer was not a complicated process. They didn’t need to pray publically. They could pray in private. They didn’t need eloquence, meaningless repetition, or excess verbiage. (Matthew 6:1-7) Their prayers needed to come from the heart.
Then Jesus gave them an example of a prayer which we call The Lord’s Prayer. (Luke 11:3-4; Matthew 6:9-14)
This prayer is not really something to memorize and recite per se. It really can’t be our prayer all the time because it’s not in our words. This is a model of a prayer containing elements we want to incorporate into our prayers – things like worship, trust, submission, petition, forgiveness, etc. We must learn to put these concepts into our own words, from our hearts, reflecting our personal journey with God.
Later Jesus gave an example of a heartfelt prayer in a parable. (Luke 18:9-14) Two men went to the temple to pray. One was a respected, righteous, church leader – a Pharisee. The other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee thanked God that he was not a con-man, thief, extortionist, criminal, adulterer, or unjust. He boasted that he tithed, fasted, and wasn’t like the tax collector he could see out of the corner of his eye.
The tax collector stood at a distance. He dared not lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed, “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” Yet, it was this humble, sincere prayer that touched God’s heart.
Remember that prayer is heartfelt communication with God. When we pray from the heart, God listens.
