As we continue with our subject of prayer, we continue to see Jesus is the essence of prayer. He is at the beginning, middle and end of our effective prayer. He is in the beginning because He provided our access. He gives us substance, and He is with our Father to ensure the message is received and our petitions are considered.
Jesus gives us directions and guidance of what our prayers should look like. Sometimes prayers can seem eloquent and religiously based but to Jesus they are vain, self-glorifying and self-serving. (Matt. 6:5-8) In Luke’s account, after Jesus’ disciples witnessed Him praying, they approached Him and requested that Jesus instruct them how to pray as John taught his disciples to pray. (Luke 11:1)
So, Jesus began by instructing them on what to say. Interestingly enough, Jesus doesn’t tell us what John taught his disciples how or what to pray, He simply said, when you pray, say this. We can be confident that these words were not just meant to be recited without thought or feeling because Jesus tells us not to pray in front of men as to showcase our piousness or use meaningless repetitious words as the Gentiles do. (Matt 6:5)
In Luke’s account, there is emphasis placed on who should be at the center of their focus and what should be acknowledged. It is followed up with a confidence of God’s goodness and willingness to answer the prayer because of His righteousness.
In Matthew’s account these words are also given by Jesus to His disciples with the same emphasis on God who is to be their focal point and who provides for all of their every need, physical and spiritual. What follows seems to follow seems to be real lesson of His instruction. Their prayer being answered in their favor depended on their faithfulness. Because God has been so good to them, by providing their daily needs of physical blessings and spiritual blessings, it was incumbent for them to show the same characteristics to others, such as mercy, grace and forgiveness.
So, in studying these lessons, we learn it is not so much about the words we verbalize as much as it is that our focus is on God, our attitude towards Him is reverent, and our willingness to heed and respond to His answer.
We can rest assured knowing God knows our needs and He provides for us continually. One of the greatest reasons our Heavenly Father wants us to pray to Him is to see and trust in His faithfulness. He doesn’t want us to verbalize impressive words, He wants our whole heart and mind learning of Him, because the more we know about God the more we come to recognize His majesty and awesomeness.
My prayer is that we will assemble together, to learn more about our God and how He wants to hear from us.
In Christ,
Steve
NOBLE CHURCH OF CHRIST