Monday, January 3, 2011

Lord teach us to...

If you could ask Jesus anything, what would it be?  This could be a search for an answer or it could be for help.  So, what would it be?   

I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to raise good children.  Oh wait, that isn't in there...  I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to help them have a good marriage.  Oh wait, not there either...  I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus to help them manage their money better and even to have more money to pursue the "American Dream".  Whoops, not there again...  I find it interesting how the disciples asked Jesus... 

From my (admittedly) limited knowledge of Scripture, the disciples only asked Jesus to teach them how to do one thing - pray. 

I am not sure what I find more interesting a) how Jesus answered their question or b) how many Christians do not pay attention to His answer (at least that seems to be the case).  I wish I could grasp the depth of Luke 11:2-4 (Jesus' answer).  The words in our English text look too simple, too unassuming, too plain...  Is that really all the better the Lord of the Universe could do? 

At this point I must be honest, prayer is a mystery to me.  I do not understand it - but I want to.  I do not pray enough - but I want to pray more.  I have not paid attention enough to it in the Bible - but I am starting (again).  For some reading this who know me these admissions may come as a bit of a surprise.  Forgive me if I have put on a facade which would indicate I know more about prayer than I do.  I try to be honest...but I do not know if I have publicly ever said prayer is a mystery to me.  I look forward to exploring the mystery the next few Sundays.  Believe me, we will not come even close to scratching the surface (let alone exhausting it) - but it seems the journey of knowing prayer deserves looking at it for a while, reflecting, implementing, and then returning to it at a later date...

What about you?  What do you not understand about prayer?  What have you learned?  We learn best (and apply what we learn best) in community. 



 

1 comment:

  1. That is interesting. So much of what we ask the Lord for help for...is not related to learning how to pray.

    Growing up, I always wondered why a God who knew everything and had things "predestined" to some extent or another would even need people to pray. How did praying even matter if we couldn't change God's mind?

    Now, I know a little more about it, and remember the example of Moses changing God's mind by prayer when he begged God to go with them.

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