“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'” Luke 11:1 (NIV)
Jesus had just finished praying, apparently in the presence of His disciples. Eager to be like Jesus, they asked that He teach them to pray.
Notice two things about their request: First, they, too, desired to communicate with God through prayer, and second, they knew they needed guidance.
Although prayer may be as simple as just talking to God, it is also a learned skill; it takes time, work and practice. The disciples were with Jesus day in and day out. Of all the things they could have asked Him to teach them — how to heal, teach or perform extraordinary miracles — they asked how to pray.
To teach them, Jesus gave the disciples (and us!) the Lord’s Prayer. We find the Lord’s Prayer twice in the New Testament, not only in Luke 11 but also in Matthew 6, nestled among the rich passages of the Sermon on the Mount. There, Jesus breaks down the essence of Christian living, including a very clear example of how to pray.
Prayer is personal, just like our relationship with the Almighty through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Prayer is also a privilege, allowing us 24/7 access to our heavenly Father, made possible only by the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for our sins.
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the gift of prayer. When we don’t have the words, let us be filled with the Holy Spirit who prays on our behalf. Let us be a people who communicate with You regularly, taking all requests to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.