Teach us to pray

January 12, 2022 (Wednesday)

 

There are people who do things naturally. Then there are the rest of us who need to learn. I think prayer is that way. There is a natural form of prayer as we talk to God. Yet there is a learned/taught form. Let me take you back to Jesus’ prayer life. “Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” [Luke 11:1 CEB]

 

The disciple must have watched Jesus pray. The request is for Jesus to teach “us” to pray. Whatever Jesus was doing, the disciple thought would benefit “us,” not just themselves. Maybe, the unnamed disciple knew of John the Baptist who taught his disciples on prayer and thought Jesus should too. While, I believe prayer is an instinctive thing available to all, there is something we can be taught.

 

Before I jump into Luke’s account, please note it is shorter than Matthew’s account.

 

“Jesus told them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, uphold the holiness of your name. Bring in your kingdom.” [Luke 11:2 CEB] There is much debate over praying the exact words or using them as a pattern. The easy answer is both. Generations of Christians have found comfort in repeating the words. Educators tell us that “rote memory” is the base form of learning. Considering the differences between the prayer in Matthew and Luke, I suspect Jesus wants us to move beyond babbling rote repetition into dynamic relational prayer.

 

Jesus begins by acknowledging “Father.” This is a family word based on relationship. This kind of pray is only available (or desirable) to God’s children. Unfortunately the concept of “father” has been brutalized in American culture. Men are taught to behave badly, selfishly, or neutered of God ordained masculinity. Our sin culture makes it difficult to identify a healthy image of father, essentially alienating us from God the Father.

 

Holiness is optional in the theology and practice of many Christians. Our understanding of it leans towards legalism. Legalism means we follow a formula. The tendency is to exchange formula for relationship. The biblical core idea of holiness is to be “set apart” or “undefiled.” It has nothing to do with earning our salvation. Instead it is a reflection of the character of God expressed in the lives of His children.

 

It doesn’t make sense to me, if we have escaped something terrible, to want to go back to it. Like Israel in the desert wanting to return to the slavery of Egypt because in Egypt they had vegetables. A spirit that leans toward discontent will do this to us. If we have escaped the bitter slavery of sin, why return? Probably for the same reason the lung cancer patient continues to smoke.

 

How much do we pray for God’s kingdom? Break it down: “democracy” (the rule of the people) is the mantra American politics preaches and imposes on the world. Any other form of government is considered “evil.” We erroneously think if every nation is democratic then national self-interest will be minimized and countries will cooperate and settle into a blissful utopia. After all, we reason, the people have earned the right to govern themselves. Trouble is, human nature is corrupt and selfish to the core.

 

Christianity is not a democracy. It’s a monarchy, with one undisputed King. We do not get to decide what is “right” and what is “wrong.” It seems regressive to pray for the world to come under the authority of the King of kings. Just in the first line of “the Lord’s prayer,” we have completely unraveled and rejected our culture of broken relationship, bad behavior, and bedraggled politics.

 

Still want to learn how to pray?