Lord, Teach us to pray

Anyone out there overcomplicate prayer? (Or was it just me?) Hah! I had to learn how to pray. I mean... I did learn how to pray. In catechism classes, I memorized the "Our Father." But, I don't think I ever stopped and slowed down and understand what those words meant.

So, let's do that. Let's slow down... and sit in the Lord's prayer. Jesus is praying somewhere and one of his disciples requests, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11). And, He answers in Matthew 6:5-13:

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⁵“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on street corners, so that people can see them. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! ⁶But you, when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

⁷“And when you pray, don’t babble on and on like the pagans, who think God will hear them better if they talk a lot. ⁸Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹You, therefore, pray like this:

‘Our Father in heaven!
May your Name be kept holy.
¹⁰May your Kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
¹¹Give us the food we need today.
¹²Forgive us what we have done wrong,
as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.
¹³And do not lead us into hard testing,
but keep us safe from the Evil One.'

Jesus offers instruction for sincere and meaningful communication with God, the Father, emphasizing humility, authenticity, and an understanding of the divine nature of God.

Jesus emphasizes the importance of private, sincere communion with God, where the focus is on the authenticity of the relationship rather than public display. Prayer is intimate if it is genuine and private.

Then Jesus, points out the futility of repetitive, empty phrases in prayer, emphasizing the need for sincerity and heartfelt expression. If you've noticed, I start my Bible studies the same way, with a blessing, and end them the same way... a blessing. You've probably noticed that I lean on Jewish blessings and prayers. I want to make it clear that I am not trying to... be repetitive. And, I can assure you that these words are not empty. I think what is beautiful about these blessings, prayers, and benedictions, is that they focus the everyday and ordinary things like... reading, waking up, eating... and they focus and acknowledge God's hand in it all.

Then, Jesus gives us an example of a prayer.

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⁹‘Our Father in heaven!
May your Name be kept holy.
¹⁰May your Kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
¹¹Give us the food we need today.
¹²Forgive us what we have done wrong,
as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.
¹³And do not lead us into hard testing,
but keep us safe from the Evil One.'

The prayer consists of six distinct petitions, each addressing different aspects of human experience and spiritual connection.

Acknowledgment of the Divine
The Lord's Prayer begins with an acknowledgment of the holiness of God and His relationship to humanity as "Our Father." This speaks to our personal connection to God and, for me, an acknowledgement of Him as God Almighty, God the Creator, set apart from me... but also... here with me. What a weird and beautiful juxtaposition.
May your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven
The second and third petitions of the Lord's Prayer emphasize surrendering to God's will and acknowledging His sovereignty over our plans. This is the act of aligning with God and trusting His wisdom, love, power, and plans.
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
The fourth petition highlights the importance of daily sustenance, both physical and spiritual. This line reminds me very much of the Jewish prayer before eating bread, "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth."

This is an acknowledgment of our dependence on Him. It is a confirmation of His role as Creator of the cosmos, who prepared the land, who called for grain to come from the earth, and made it produce food for us in Genesis 1.
Forgive Us Our Trespasses as We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us
The fifth petition is for forgiveness, both seeking it for oneself and extending it to others. First, for ourselves, we seek forgiveness for our shortcomings and transgressions. We acknowledge our sin and we lament. And, we ask for forgiveness. (And, He gives it!)

Then, we shift to others. Simultaneously, we are to cultivate a forgiving heart, extending grace to others who may have wronged you.
Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From the Evil One
The last petition addresses the human vulnerability to temptation and evil. It seeks supernatural protection against an enemy that may lead you astray. Here is where we can acknowledge our vulnerabilities and seek divine strength to resist temptation.

What is so cool about God vs. the enemy? God is bigger. God is greater. God is almighty, all powerful, all knowing, and the enemy is none of that. The enemy will always bee less than God. What a powerful thing to remember when we pray God's protection over us!

I hope this has given you a framework for how you can come to God in your prayer life. I hope that you continue to grow a deeper connection with God, that you grow in your walk, that you find power and strength in prayer and certainty of God's provision, providence, and protection.

I'll leave you with this encouragement from James 5, "Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

So, let's pray, friends!!

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who allows us to come before You in prayer. Lord, thank You for creating us in Your image, instilling within us the ability, capacity, and access to seek and know Your character through Your Word and through prayer. May Your will for our lives prevail as we join in studying the Tanakh this year. Thank you for providing every physical need. Thank you for providing every spiritual need, that Your grace sustains us every day. God, forgive me for where I've missed the mark, where I've failed to be the servant You've called me to be. God, continue to grow me and strengthen me to walk in the manner and calling You've called me to walk. I pray that as we open Your Word to deepen our understanding of Your character, that we may we glorify You in our lives and in our communities. I pray people see Your love and Your light through us. In Jesus' name I pray. AMEN.