Luke 11:1-4
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Take a moment to settle into your surroundings and then begin to recognize your breath. As you breathe in, call on the name of Jesus and become aware of his presence with you. As you breathe out, open your mind and heart to receive whatever Jesus has for you today.
Read Luke 11:1-4 as if you had never heard these words before.
The version of the “Lord’s Prayer” with which most Jesus followers are familiar is found in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 6:9-13). Luke gives us a slightly shorter version which omits the last line: “…but deliver us from evil.” And the familiar ending of the Lord’s Prayer, “…for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” was added sometime in the 1600s.
Regardless of the version, this prayer is Jesus’ all-inclusive answer to the disciples’ request: “Lord, teach us to pray…”
Jesus’ followers had obviously seen him pray many times and were aware that he often went to remote places to be alone and speak with God the Father. And from Mark’s Gospel we see that Jesus exhorted his disciples to pray (Mark 9:29). The point is that the people traveling and ministering with Jesus were well-acquainted with prayer. But they still felt that something was missing.
Stop to consider your thoughts and feelings about prayer. Is prayer something you look forward to? Does prayer feel natural to you? Is prayer sometimes challenging, or do you feel that you might be missing something about how to pray? Share all of this with Jesus openly and honestly.
Read Luke 11:1-4 again.
In our next two meditations, we’ll contemplate the actual words Jesus gives the disciples to pray, but for today consider some the possible motivations that might have prompted the request:
• A desire for the correct way of approaching God. Perhaps this disciple, having heard Jesus’ reframing of the Jewish laws and prophecies, wanted to learn a new way of offering worship and petitions to God the Father.
• The inner pull toward ritual. Ritual is a way of bringing the past into the present so we can remember. It’s possible that this disciple loved the many rituals of the Jewish faith and wanted Jesus to teach a form of prayer that could serve as a new ritual.
• Comparison (or even envy). Comparison is as old a rebellion. In the Older Testament story, the Israelites noticed the nations around them and envied their human kings (1 Samuel 8). It’s feasible that this disciple noticed the way John led his disciples and wanted Jesus to lead like John.
• A longing to connect with God on a deeper level. Possibly this disciple simply had a deep longing to know God better.
Are there any of these that you can relate with? Or do you have other desires and longings regarding prayer? Share your thoughts with Jesus now and then get quiet and listen to him.
What might Jesus be saying to you today?
How will you respond?
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