Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 5 Feb 2008 16:05:41 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Feb. 6); BP: Lk. 11:1-4; RBTTY: Mt. 23:23-39; Ex.
February 6 “Lord, Teach Us to Pray”
“And it came to pass that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught His disciples’.”
Luke 11:1
It’s the request that will take a lifetime to learn, but has eternal dividends.
Although Luke’s Gospel is the only one that includes this particular Manna, Matthew’s Gospel also gives Jesus’ response in a more detailed fashion (Mt. 6:9-15). Thus, it’s good that we spend time “chewing the cud” on both accounts in order to capture the “full flavor” of this “Primer in Prayer.”
Dr. Luke didn’t tell us which one of Jesus’ disciples made this request—“Lord, teach us to pray”—but that doesn’t change the importance of his petition. These early Apostles had already seen Jesus do some pretty magnificent things and it would seem they’d been more apt to ask Him for lessons in healing, casting out demons, formulating parables, etc.
Instead, he asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Shouldn’t this also be at the top of our list, Pilgrim?
Assuredly it should—for this spiritual discipline is one of the hardest we’ll ever undertake.
We should also note that the disciple’s request came after Jesus had been “praying in a certain place.” Most likely, this “certain place” was a familiar and oft-used one for our Lord. There’s something about a place of quiet solitude that lends itself to communion with God the Father and we’d do well to find such a place when we pray.
There’s no mention of whether or not the disciple was nearby when our Lord finished praying and overheard/saw Him praying. If so, perhaps that experience further contributed to his request; or, if his petition came after Jesus returned from praying, it was because he recognized Jesus’ priority, passion and persistence in praying.
Regardless, his petition is a simple one. And, his additional words of “as John also taught his disciples” sheds more light on his request. It tells us that John’s followers were also students of prayer, although his prayers were most likely more filled with petitions than they were intercessions (Lk. 5:33).
Thus, we shouldn’t be surprised that Jesus’ initial lesson in praying (vv.2-4; Mt. 6:9-15) was also filled with personal petitions concerning our relationship with the Father. He knew our prayers are ineffectual—yea, powerless—until we’re able to “come boldly unto the Throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
May the Holy Spirit help us today to also make this simple request: “Lord, teach me to pray.” Then, may we make what changes are necessary in our daily schedules lest our petition seem more “lip service” than “heart surrender.”
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