Luke 11:1-9, Teach Us To Pray

We want to add one final post related to the “Prayers of Paul.”  It has to do with growing in our relationship with God through prayer.

We have frequently used some questions to get at Paul’s style (I hope it’s okay with you to use that term) of prayer.  To whom did Paul pray?  For whom did Paul pray?  What prompted Paul to pray?  What requests?  What thanksgiving?  What encouragements did Paul mention that led him to believe God would answer his prayer? 

In one sense, these questions are suggested by his prayers.  He makes us stop and think about the answers to those questions because that is what is frequently involved in his praying.  But at the same time, these questions get at the nature of the Lord’s Prayer (the one where He did as His disciples asked: Lord, teach us to pray.  It also gets at the nature of prayer all over Scripture, including the Psalms.

Believers in Christ today, overall, are pretty lazy in the matter of praying.  For most I think that they think that prayer is not really that difficult.  If they actually read the Bible, they would be surprised to find out that someone (Epaphras) was laboring fervently for you in prayers (Col. 4:12).  Here’s a case where getting away from the Authorized Version was not helpful.  The KJV said he “wrestled” in prayer.  The word actually means to enter a context, such as an Olympic game, and to struggle or contend so as to win. 

Instead, most people, when you suggest they put some effort into praying, almost take pride in their short prayers.  They remind me that God is their friend and that they don’t need to get all worked up like the preacher does (except that today, it seems many pastors are on their side).  Can I also suggest that many (I don’t take polls, but I would suggest “most”) of these people will tell you, in moments of honesty, that God does not seem to answer their prayers.  I have heard this over and over.  If they are praying the will of God, and God is not answering their prayers, then they are making God (1 John 5:14-15) and His Son (John 16:23) out to be liars.  If they are NOT praying the will of God, then they are not laboring fervently in prayer.

By the way, did you hear Paul ever include in one of his prayers, the phrase “in Jesus’ name, Amen!”?  No, you didn’t.  Yet, go back, and see that time and again the Lord Jesus was included in Paul’s prayers.  He knew what it meant to “pray in Jesus’ name,” and it’s not just some formula.  For example, how often did we hear him prayer “to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  He did not come to the Father apart from the authority of Jesus’ name. 

Have you ever actually thought about God in relationship to some pressing need that occupies your prayers?  When the needs are material, do you come to God as the Creator and Sustainer? Or perhaps as the giver of every good and perfect gift? When you pray for children or grandchildren, do you recognize specifically the eternal God, who will outlive you and can work on the generations after you are gone?  Have you ever had a reason to pray to the invisible God, as Paul did?  Do you remind God of His work in Abraham or Moses or David or Peter, work that encourages you to come to him on behalf of your own loved ones?  Have you ever studied the Bible specifically on the issue that is causing you to worry or fear? 

Again, if you are the common, contemporary evangelical believer you will tell me this is all unimportant with God.  I will tell you that your faith is lacking because you don’t have a reason to believe God will answer.  The reason is bound up in His person, meaning His character and His word/promises.  I happen to find much encouragement in repeating Paul’s prayers from time to time.  But that is not enough, because my life challenges are different than his.  So may I suggest, for one thing, that you consider some previous studies, besides this one on Paul’s prayers.  The recent study of the Names of God can be such an encouragement (posted online 10/22-12/12/20).  Another is the study of the Lord’s Prayer (August 3-8, 2015).  And become a regular in the Psalms, where you hear one prayer after another, prayed by fellow-saints who know what it is to pray fervently.  But by all means, don’t be in such a hurry when you come to your Lord.  Come with Bible in hand/heart, ready to pray His word.  You can do no better!  And in the world of sound-bytes and days filled with noise, do as Christ did.  Come to the quiet place, and spend time with your God.