Teach us how to pray[1].
O to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Wait a minute. The conversation is actually recorded.
Now that’s a relief.
Fewer things generate as much controversy as the topic of prayer.
How to do it, how long to do it and what method to use are but a few of the confounding variables.
In our pursuit of fervent and effectual, we all want to know if what we call prayer qualifies as acceptable.
Luckily, long before pulpit preachers started a debate on the right way to pray, one brave disciple asked Jesus the question we all have.
He answered with the Lord’s prayer[2].
Depending on how fast you speak, that prayer probably can fit into half a minute.
Really? That’s it?
I ask for effectual and fervent and I get a 30 second recital?
Like a lot of people, I think there should be more to prayer than that.
There is a lot about Jesus praying in the scripture. It is one of the things that typified his life. A lot of His prayer was done in private but there are a few times we are permitted to hear Him pray.
One such time was before one of His greatest miracles.
The resurrection of 4-day dead Lazarus.
This was going to be God doing the impossible. Surely the fervency of this prayer would be evident in its length…or so I would think.
Lazarus, come forth![3]
Yep, that one also fits snugly into a few seconds.
Even when you add Jesus’ thank you to God for hearing His prayer, there is no question that it wasn’t a lengthy one.
When we think about prayer, our focus is more often than not on what we get to ask. When God thinks of prayer, He expects that we do more than ask. He expects that we commune with Him.
Communing is a concept I can understand.
God is a God that used to visit the garden of Eden to commune with Adam and Eve.
I know what it’s like to commune with a good friend after a long working week. We share our hearts and talk about anything and everything. Sometimes we may ask something of each other but just sharing our lives on that level is the greatest satisfaction.
When you’re communing with a friend, nothing is forced. You are not compelled to repeat the same things over and over.
Most of the times Jesus went off by Himself to pray, He was communing with God.
Maybe that’s why He didn’t give us a template for that.
Everyone has a different way of communing. My communing changes with the seasons. Sometimes I’m so heavy laiden I need extended periods of time just to offload my heart.
There are other seasons when I just don’t have a lot to say.
The examples and words of Jesus show us one thing.
We don’t have to fit our prayers into a proper box for them to be heard.
We don’t have to follow a recipe for our Lord to act on our needs.
As per God’s words, He knows what we need before we open our mouths[4].
By all means pray, but don’t worry. Don’t worry that you’re not doing it right. Don’t worry that others are doing it better.
Trust that your answers depend on the one you’re praying to, even if you’re not getting the response you wish you would.
Let the church say Amen!
[1] Luke 11 v 1
[2] Luke 11 v 2-4
[3] John 11 v 41-43
[4] Matt 6 v 8