Lord, Teach Us to Pray

By David Faust

Suppose you lived in the first century and you were one of Jesus’ original disciples. Out of all the things you saw him do, what would you have asked him to teach you? Would you have been curious to know how he changed water into wine? Might you have asked him how to give sight to the blind or calm a storm? Would you have wanted to learn how to speak in parables and tell unforgettable stories? 

Jesus’ followers never asked him how to do those things, or if they did, the Bible doesn’t record it. But according to Luke 11:1 (New International Version), a disciple came to him with this request: “Lord, teach us to pray.” 

Out of all the things they saw Jesus do, the disciples were particularly impressed by the way he prayed. They heard him rise before dawn and slip away by himself to pray. When he blessed the bread at mealtimes or he prayed aloud before performing a miracle, they were impressed by the way he communicated with the heavenly Father.  

The Struggle Is Real 

At age 34, I joined the Cincinnati Bible College faculty. Our academic dean, Earl Sims, sent a memo to the faculty asking us to suggest ideas for potential new courses. I had just finished a 10-year ministry with a church in Long Island, New York, where prayer was an important part of our church’s life. So I wrote a note to Mr. Sims and suggested, “Someone ought to teach a class on prayer.” I didn’t mean that I should be the one to teach it! I was surprised when the new academic schedule featured a new course called “Theology of Prayer” with my name listed as the professor. I had no choice but to tackle the assignment, and I was amazed when 90 students signed up to take the class.  

People are curious about prayer. Everyone needs to pray, whether they’re female or male, young or old, healthy or sick, leaders or followers, wealthy or poor. Prayer is a “declaration of dependence,” a recognition of our limitations.  

Why pray? God invites it, welcoming us into a grace-based relationship where we can converse with him heart to heart, child to Father, servant to Master, friend to friend. The Bible commands it, exhorting us to “be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18). The problems of prayerlessness demand it. Without prayer, we are like electrical appliances unplugged from the power source. I can’t fully explain all the mysteries surrounding prayer, but I’m grateful that we can voice our concerns to God. Even a weary, exasperated cry like, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” provides a way to express our feelings to the Lord. 

Despite its benefits, many of us struggle with prayer. We know we ought to pray without ceasing; but we also ought to eat lots of vegetables, yet the Snickers bar wins out over the broccoli. Likewise, many of us consume a lot of spiritual junk food instead of making prayer a priority. 

Much to Learn 

The Polish musician Ignacy Jan Paderewski once observed, “If I stop practicing the piano for one day, I notice it. If I stop practicing for two days, my family notices it. And if I stop practicing for three days, the public can tell the difference.” The same is true with prayer. Go a day without praying, and others may not notice; but eventually, prayerlessness will drag down our attitudes and weaken our relationships.  

I’m not an expert on spiritual disciplines, and I have not yet graduated from the school of prayer. I remain a student with much to learn, like that eager follower of Jesus who said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”  

That’s why in the weeks ahead, in this column we will take a closer look at the way Jesus answered that request. I hope you’ll join me each week as we explore what is commonly called The Lord’s Prayer. 

David Faust serves as contributing editor of Christian Standard and senior associate minister with East 91^st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the author of Not Too Old: Turning Your Later Years into Greater Years.

Author: Christian Standard

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