April 28, 2024

When I read this verse, I wondered, “What was it about the way Jesus prayed that made one of His Disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray?” I mean, as good Jews, they had been taught to say prayers ever since they were young. And maybe that was the difference. They had been taught to “say prayers.” Jesus PRAYED.
Perhaps Jesus prayed with an intimacy that they had never heard before. To the Jews, God was a Divine Being who was unknowable, untouchable, and unapproachable. A God whose name they were not even allowed to speak. Therefore, their prayers were impersonal, scripted, and formal. But Jesus wasn’t talking to a stranger. He was talking to someone He knew through and through— a Friend, a Father. Someone He knew as well as He knew Himself.
Maybe it was what Jesus prayed about that caught their attention as well. The Disciples primarily had been taught to pray for health, prosperity, and forgiveness. My guess is those things weren’t high on Jesus’ list. He most likely spent time asking God to help Him do what He was sent to do. He probably prayed for the Father to prepare the hearts of those to whom He would speak. Since we know that Jesus felt fatigue and pain just as we do, I wouldn’t be surprised if He asked the Father to help Him have the strength to do His Will.
I wonder if the Disciples ever heard Jesus pray for them? I wonder if they ever heard Jesus mention them by name to the Father? There is probably no more moving experience than hearing someone you admire and respect pray over you. It inspires you. It humbles you. It endears you to them. Maybe hearing Jesus pray for them was one of the things that made them so loyal to Jesus.
So how do YOU pray? Have you found yourself just “saying your prayers” lately, rather than feeling as if you’re really connecting with God? Do you have a longing to connect with God on a deeper, more intimate level? Maybe the prayer you need to start with today is the one that the disciple taught us after watching Jesus spend time in prayer. “Lord, teach us to pray!” That’s God’s Word for you today.