. . . teach us how to pray . . .

Have you ever asked to learn about prayer?
What would you like to learn about prayer?
Why do you want to learn about prayer?
Why wouldn’t you want to learn about prayer?
Why wouldn’t you want to try prayer?

There is so much learn and so much to pray about. People spend so much time worrying. Some people think that people who pray about a lot of things are worry warts, but I don’t. I believe people who pray are compassionate, caring, hopeful and faithful.

So many people seem to want so many things from God and think he is so demanding. I can remember a time when I thought God was demanding – it’s a time when I wasn’t praying much. When we aren’t praying much we aren’t in close relationship with God. When we aren’t praying we certainly aren’t listening to God.

Think about the work you put into teaching your children how to communicate with you. It’s fun when they are first learning to talk because you mimic each other. Parent’s love it when their babies laugh and coo and they find out what sounds and actions bring this out in their children. They’ll spend long minutes that add up to hours of fun throughout a day.

Now think about the effort you put into learning how your newborn infant communicates with you. The first sound a parent usually hears is a cry. The parent wants to comfort their child every time their baby cries, but they have to take time to learn what this cry is about.

So it is with God, if we spend time actively listening to the prayers in Scripture, we are spending time listening to people who are in a relationship with God. The Psalms are one place where we can read prayers that cover pretty much every aspect of life we could possibly encounter. When you read them you come to realize the writers believed there is no concern too small or large for God, no thought that has to be hidden. While the psalms are written in ‘grown up’ language – the relationship is more childlike in nature than we realize. As children growing up with loving parents we bring everything to them in conversation, from a pinched finger to a broken heart from hurtful words spoken to us, we come to our parents for comfort. Sometimes, while being comforted, we received some instruction in how not to get pinched fingers and work things out in those times of struggling with immature relationships.

Eventually in the parent-child relationship the child will come to a parent and ask them to teach them something, how to do some of the things the parents are doing. Teach me how to write my name, is something one of my children asked me. Teach me how to bake, asked another. Teach me how to sing that song, play that game, sew, drive etc.

Rarely does any child ask a parent how to pray. Rarely does an adult ask another adult how to pray, but the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. I write about this occasion and Jesus’ instruction in my book. Jesus gave some instructions that we now call ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’ As Christians, we are not limited to praying only the words in this prayer, but we are given some wonderful instruction in the kind of words and requests that are pleasing to God. We are given some thoughtful instruction in life and relationship skills as well. The Lord’s prayer is a prayer of community and relationship that begins with the words, Our Father.

How often do we consider the ‘our’ in this prayer and how this defines not only our relationship with God, but with Jesus and each other. “Our Father” How often have you considered your relationship one of being Jesus’ brother or sister when you pray this prayer? How often do you consider your relationship being transformed with the people you pray this prayer with? We become brothers and sisters with each other and with Jesus when it comes to praying together. Through this prayer we learn God would appreciate it if his children would live and pray together in love and peace.

Jesus, teach us, your brothers and sisters in this generation, how to pray. Open our minds and hearts to your instruction and help us to live and pray together in love and peace. AMEN