“Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks”
Do you sometimes wish you knew how to pray? You know, the kind of prayer that is truly expressive and heartfelt. You might like it to be poetic in nature, beautifully phrased and eloquent. The only problem is, you don’t really express yourself all that poetically, and it doesn’t feel at all natural. But we want to pray, we want to be in communication with our heavenly Father; in fact, we are commanded to pray and given examples of prayer throughout the Bible. The Psalms include prayers of praise, gratitude, repentance, pleas for protection and guidance —basically every human circumstance and emotion.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke both include accounts of Jesus teaching his disciples the Lord’s Prayer. As we read Luke 11:1-4, we learn that they ask him to teach them to pray. In Matthew, we find a more familiar and somewhat longer version, which follows a lesson from Jesus that’s always been a favorite of mine. Chapter 6 begins with Jesus’ teachings on charitable giving, and is critical of those who make sure that everyone knows of their generosity. He goes on to tell us not to be like people who pray loudly in public places, so that everyone then hears how pious they are.
This is not the purpose of prayer at all; rather, it is a personal, private, thoughtful time in which we are encouraged to bring whatever is in our hearts to God. We may be thankful, fearful, filled with joy, grief-stricken, wondering, doubting, and/or in need of feeling that God is present with us. There are many times we have great concern for someone who is ill or injured, and we pray for their well-being and for the skill of those caring for them. Other times we are worried about a loved one who has lost their way, may be taking a destructive and dangerous path, and we wonder how to help them.
No wonder we turn to the Lord’s Prayer when our own words seem to fail us. We praise God, we ask for protection and care, we ask for both forgiveness and the ability to forgive. As we acknowledge God’s power throughout all time, there is a sense of being uplifted and no longer helpless or alone. The Lord’s Prayer can often be a path to our own prayers, as it is so all-encompassing. Let us join with the disciples in their request, “Lord, teach us to pray,” and then listen and learn about being in relationship with our Father in heaven.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans about prayer: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (8:26-27)
What a Friend We Have in Jesus https://youtu.be/LarFhGeE-ac
Together we learn, we listen, we trust,
Your friend in in Christ,
Mary Rogers