Many years ago, I thought I wanted to be a teacher. I spent four years in college to prepare for this career. Then as I began my teaching I discovered I would have to study for a Master’s Degree as well, so on I went. Perhaps ironically, all of this “learning” was to equip me to teach six year olds the very basics of reading and arithmetic.  

I thought about all of that “education” when I considered the twelve men, the first disciples, who were setting out to spread Jesus’ message. What did they need to learn? Did they attend seminary? Take a correspondence course? Study psychology and how to relate to people? How about Sermon Writing 101?

None of the above, but they did spend time with Jesus himself. They knew him. He was their friend. They listened to Him. They watched Him. All they had to do is go out and share what Jesus had told them. Doesn’t sound too bad. But they were apprehensive. They thought they needed a little help.  

The disciples had been watching Jesus. They remembered what he did so frequently . . . he prayed. He would go off to a place by himself to pray. And always when he came back he was renewed. Maybe if they knew how to do this, it would help them too. So they asked . . . “Lord, teach us to pray!”

I was reading a Max Lucado book recently. In his inimitable style, he contemplated the significance of their request. As he so aptly put it, they could have asked for so many different things: perhaps instructions on bread multiplying, lessons on speech making, or perhaps the mechanics of storm stilling. But these men made one and only one request of their Teacher – “Lord teach us to pray.”

How did Jesus respond to their request? Well, He didn’t give them a lecture about prayer. He didn’t present the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a prayer – a simple, quotable, repeatable, portable prayer. Jesus responded in simple words that are still ours today. When we refer to them as the Lord’s Prayer, we mean just that. The words came from our Lord Jesus Himself.

You, too, use the words of the Lord’s Prayer. As you pray, think of the disciples asking Jesus for His help. Think of His loving response to them. And remember the reassurance those words provided for the twelve. He gives the same loving care and assurance to you. He loves you. He loves you unconditionally.

Judy

Read Luke 11:1-13: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2011:1-13