“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

As far as I can tell, there’s only one time when Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them something specific, and not surprisingly, it had to do with prayer:  “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).  So often, we feel inadequate in this significant element of our spiritual journey.

I love the words of Abraham Lincoln, who wrote, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of those around me seemed insufficient for the day.”

A lack of success in our prayer journey, combined with personal desperation, is a very troubling combination; hence, “Lord teach us to pray!”

I read a survey by Gallup Poll recently that said even 30% of atheists claim to pray every once in a while! Gallup tells us that more people will pray this week than exercise, go to work, or drive a car. What is it that fuels our desire to learn about prayer? Perhaps Phillip Yancey answers it best:

“We pray because we want to thank someone or something for the beauties and glories of life; and also because we feel small and helpless and sometimes afraid. We pray for forgiveness, for strength, for contact with the One who is, and for assurance that we are not alone. We pray because we can’t help it.”

O Lord Jesus, teach us to pray. Teach us how to trust. Teach us how to wait on you.

REFLECTION
1. Where are you feeling overwhelmed and under-resourced in your life today?
2. What does Jesus want to teach you about your prayer journey?

Ian Trigg is in his fifteenth year serving as Lead Pastor of Foothills Alliance Church in Calgary, Alberta. His greatest passion is to know Jesus, and his greatest joy is helping
others along that journey.

Photo credit: risdian – rian via VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-ND