Scripture: Luke 11:1
Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Thought for the Day: This verse is the entry point into the Lord’s Prayer, and because most folks are interested in the Lord’s Prayer, they do not pay attention to this verse. It is a little like being excited about visiting someone. When you arrive, you’re not thinking about the door, but what lies beyond the door. For that reason, a person might not notice what’s being suggested in this verse. The disciples seem to say that John taught his disciples a prayer. Is this something teachers did? Did they each have their own take on how a prayer should be structured, and what exactly should be the purpose? It might have been helpful for us to see John’s prayer to compare it to what Jesus taught. Were they similar or dramatically different? Without John’s prayer, it is impossible to say. What we can conclude is that the disciples’ request was not unusual. In fact, it might have demonstrated a level of commitment to Jesus as they were wanting to know and potentially embrace the uniqueness of Jesus’ prayer. Discipleship is a process by which we take on more and more of the teacher’s ideas and way of life. The Jesus Prayer (Lord’s Prayer) communicates some core convictions, and if a person prays it often, those core convictions just might take hold.
Prayer: God, may the words I share and prayers I offer connect me more completely to the ways of Jesus, your gift to the world. Amen.
Come On Out!
