Men and women who give prayer high priority in their lives are to be admired. Frankly, prayer has proved to be the most demanding discipline of the Christian life. At different times you will find it strenuous, boring, frustrating, and confusing.
Over the years a solid prayer life has been more intermittent than persistent. To admit our lifelong struggle with prayer is something we do with great uneasiness. I have learned that you cannot simply “say your prayers.” Prayer, real prayer, is tough, hard business.
Prayer serves as preparation for the battle, but for Jesus, it was the battle itself. In the life of Jesus, prayer was the work, and ministry was the prize. Having prayed, He went about His ministry as an honor student might go to receive a reward, or as a marathon runner might accept the gold medal.
Where was it that Jesus sweat great drops of blood? Not in Pilate’s Hall, nor on His way to Golgotha to be crucified. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane. There “He offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death” (Hebrews 5:7). “If He is so broken up when all He is doing is praying in the Garden,” I might have said, “what will He do when He faces a real crisis? Why can’t He approach this ordeal with the calm confidence of His three sleeping friends?” Yet, when the test came, Jesus walked to the cross with courage, and His three friends fell apart and fell away.
In Luke 11, after Jesus had spent time praying, one of His disciples asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” Two things are worth noting about the request.
First, one section of John the Baptist’s curriculum in disciple-making focused on teaching his followers to pray. Second, that was what Jesus’ followers asked Him to do for them.
They had been with Him now for over two- years. They had front row seats when He taught and preached. They witnessed His miracles. Yet, as far as we know, they never took Him aside and asked, “Lord, teach us to preach,” or “Lord, show us how to minister.” They did come and request, “Teach us to pray.”
In Christ,
Pastor Ron Silas