Find Us Faithful: In Prayer

Last time, we considered Jesus’ teachings on prayer. His disciples desired to know how to pray. I believe this desire came because Jesus’ followers recognized an intimacy in Jesus’ prayer life that was missing in the religious leaders of their day.

Picking up where we left off, Jesus says, “Give us each day our daily bread.” Simply put, I need material things, so I ask for them.

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says that our Heavenly Father knows what we need, even before we ask (Matthew 6:8). James reminds us that we have not because we ask not (James 4:2-3). Jesus teaches us that it is okay to ask for our daily needs.

Then Jesus says to forgive us our sins. I need forgiveness for my sins because I’m a sinner, so I ask for it. Salvation comes through asking God to forgive me. Jesus did not need to ask for forgiveness because He knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21); however, His audience was born in sin, and thus, Jesus knew how important it is for us to ask for forgiveness.

Next, Jesus teaches something He practices in His ministry: We forgive everyone who sins against us. From the cross, Jesus asked His Father to forgive us for putting Him there because we did not know what we were doing (Luke 23:34).

Stephen, when the religious leaders were stoning him, followed Jesus’ model of forgiveness (Acts 7:60). As Jesus has forgiven me, so I must forgive others.

Jesus then says we should ask God not to lead us into temptation when we pray. Scripture promises us to let no person say, “God is tempting me,” God tempts no one (James 1:13). Jesus, again, is teaching; Jesus is reminding His audience that we need guidance and protection from the temptations of our enemy, so I ask for God’s protection from temptation (Romans 8:37).

While Jesus’ model prayer stops here, Jesus’ teaching continues. Jesus uses a parable to Illustrate a significant principle related to prayer (Luke 11:5-11).

Jesus asks, which of you would go to a friend at midnight and say, please lend me bread because company has just arrived at my house, and I have nothing for them to eat. At midnight, your friend will answer from within their house and say, “Do not bother me; my family and I are trying to sleep.” Though the friend will not get up and give him anything because of their friendship, the friend will rise and give him what he needs because of the one friend’s impudence.

Impudence means ‘a borderline rude presentence.’ I cannot tell you how many people tell me, “I think God must get tired of me always asking Him or telling Him the same thing.” No, not according to Jesus’ parable. We are to be persistent in prayer. Keep asking, telling, praising and thanking.

Lord willing, we will conclude our discussion related to Jesus’ teaching on prayer next time.

In the meantime, consider today’s thoughts. How might asking for your needs to be met, asking God to forgive you, asking God to forgive the people who have wronged you, and being persistent in these prayers bring greater faithfulness to your prayer life?

(Second in a series.)