"Lord, teach us to pray"

In the days that Jesus walked on the earth, His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray.  How did He answer? Let's take a look:

Luke 11:1-13

     Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us day by day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one." 

      And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves;  for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him';  and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

     So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" 

He gives the example of what has become known as The Lord’s Prayer. He tells a story of a friend in need going to a friend at midnight and persisting in his request until it is granted. And by implication, He instructs His disciples to ask the Father to give the Holy Spirit.

Jesus packed a whole lot into His answer.  There is SO MUCH here to chew on.  For starters, let's ask ourselves:

Are our prayers concerned with the coming/increasing of God’s kingdom on earth?  Do we think and pray globally?

Do we ask for the Holy Spirit?  How can we even begin to understand His Word, which is spiritually discerned, without His Spirit teaching us?  How can we bear the fruits of the Spirit without the Spirit?

Does a love for God and neighbor consume our prayer life? 

When we ask for something, is it to the end that God’s name would be glorified or do we just want to be stronger, richer, feel better, be more comfortable, etc. for our own sakes?  Do we treat God like a Genie in a bottle?  Or is the heart-cry of our prayers as we lay our requests before Him that the name of our Father in heaven be hallowed?

Are we filled with praise to God in our prayers, thanking Him for who He is and what He has done?  

Are we persistent?  

Jesus has risen and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to Him. Because He is the same yesterday, today and forever, we can be sure that His words spoken long ago can continue to answer us when we ask Him, "Lord, teach us to pray."  And because all authority in heaven and earth belong to Him, we should all be asking with eager hearts.

Lord, teach me to pray.