Lord...teach ME how to pray! - Joey Ferrell
Recently, I filled the pulpit at my home congregation (when I am not visiting with The Gospel of Christ). It wasn’t completely short notice, but it was short enough that I did not have enough time to build a brand new lesson from scratch.
I reached into my electronic archive and found a lesson that I had prepared several years back, opened it, began studying it…and realized that I had missed part of the biggest point of the sermon that I “thought” I had preached.
Each year, instead of making resolutions, I personally make “proclamations.” Why? So I don’t have to tell anyone I broke my resolutions maybe? I dunno! Anyway, for several years now, I have been making the same statement to myself.
“Lord, I want to be more intentional in my prayer life.”
Simple enough right? Well, I thought so…until I looked at the context of scripture surrounding the lesson that I was studying to preach again. Most everyone can find these familiar words from the disciples - “Lord, teach us how to pray.” They are found in the great sermon on the mount as well as in other places of the gospel accounts. But, have you ever wondered WHY the disciples asked this question?
I have no doubt that they knew how to pray. These were religious men. They had studied the Torah, they knew the commands that were once housed in the Ark of the Covenant. They knew of Elijah’s prayerful life and much more. It wasn’t a basic question of teaching them how to - as we might say - “bow your head and fold your hands.”
In the context of this passage, Jesus teaches them “how” to pray, not just “what” to pray. Our idea is more of a “what to pray” in my opinion. I am as guilty or more than the next man that stands in the assembly to pray. Our prayers go something like this:
“Lord, give us rain” or “Lord, please stop the rain”
”Heal the sick” or “be with those bereaved”
”Give us guidance”
”be with us til we meet again”
”please forgive us of our sin”
There may be a host of other things that I have said including praying for our military, our leaders, our church family, and so on. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with these things…except, sometimes, our plea to God is more about US than about His will and the will for others. That is MY confession of not praying more intentional.
James talks about in chapter 4 that it isn’t about what we will. It is ALWAYS about what God wills. James says that no matter what we desire, if it is not of God’s will, it is pretty much in void of asking.
Jesus also warned us of those in which would offer vain and repetitious prayer…also GUILTY in my life. I, and others have fallen into that pattern sometimes, and although we may be certainly offering sweet aromas to God, we may be missing what He really wants to hear from us.
So, how do we pray? We let Christ teach us. Not just quoting the model prayer as he taught His disciples, but actually meaning what we pray. Being intentional toward others, and not so much ourselves. Don’t get me wrong…James also talks about prayers for the sin-stricken, the ill, and so on. But…remember, one of those statements of “please send rain?” What if the next town over has completely flooded and cannot recover. Maybe rain isn’t exactly what is needed for everyone at the same time.
Prayer is an attitude. It isn’t just words. And, our attitude must be like that of Jesus when we approach the Father, asking in His will, asking for the good of His will to transpire, and not our own (c.f. prayer in the garden), and we must remember that our prayers are a conversation WITH God, not an instructional opportunity for us to tell Him what we want.
I want to be more intentional in my prayer life…and I want to pray for you. Let me know how I can. You can email me at joey@thegospelofchrist.com and I will certainly offer my prayers to our Father on your behalf.
Around the field and the www….
Great things continue to happen with the digital side of our program. We recently passed 250,000 website views for the year. Phenomenal! We have added a few more television markets recently. We also are preparing to plan for 2022.
Scott and myself would love to visit with your congregation to tell you more about what is happening, how people are responding to the program, and to distribute free materials to you and the congregation. This program has so many resources that can help your own personal study, but it can help YOU reach many more souls in your own evangelistic efforts. Let us show you how!
Contact Joey at joey@thegospelofchrist.com, Scott at Scott@thegospelofchrist.com, or call our office at 855-458-3905 to speak with someone about visiting.
Until the next cold month coming up!
In all service to Him,
~Joey