Teach us to Pray

My friend Rob Robertson shared these reflections on Facebook. I thought they were so good that I have copied them here in their entirety. They need to be preserved in a blog rather than lost in the ephemeral Facebook environment.

1. Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.

Over the past month I’ve spent pretty much ALL of my study/devotional time in Luke 11. ‘Lord, teach us to pray…’ Humbly I realise that most of my Bible reading is far too shallow. Perhaps that is because I’m a product of our generation of far too much sensory input, thus reducing the depth of each morsel of information coming in. Here then is observation #1

Luk 11:1-13 NIV  One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.

Let’s not forget that this wonderful teaching moment came about because his disciples observed Jesus PRAYING. You might remember that wonderful statement by Augustine I think it was, ‘preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.’ This is a beautiful example of just that.,

It reminds me too that we are following our Lord’s example when we are willing to pray even in a public space, as the Spirit leads. Recently, a group of us men prayed for one of our number at a local restaurant/café in response to a need expressed.

Do people around us observe us as ‘praying Christians?’ Not the kind who pray for egotistical reasons, like the Pharisees in Matthew 6, the other time at which Jesus taught his followers to pray. No, praying as the Spirit leads is a much different thing, a devotional/ministering activity unconcerned with the world around and its censure or curiosity. These people KNOW by vital experience that their prayer life is even more necessary than eating.

Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY. [Verse 1 continued]

 (1) When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

As we dig deeper into this amazing scene two things strike me here in the second part of verse 1. Why did that disciple ask him to teach them, and what of the reference to John?

Did they know what John had taught his disciples about prayer? If so then there was obviously something ‘different’ about what they observed in Jesus as he was praying. In any case, the very look of Jesus in prayer drew them to ask, ‘Lord, teach us.’

I sense a flavour of awe and intrigue in that request, men attracted irresistibly to the sight.

A sight of what? Power? Deep intimacy? Aura of holiness? One can only imagine and speculate, but what a joy to do so, to reflect

……..and to ask with that disciple, ‘Lord, teach me to pray?’

Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY. [Verse 1 continued]

 (1) When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

I want to pause and take a step back for an overview before looking at the detail.

One benefit of staying with a passage and soaking in it is the clarity brought to ones mind.

Here in this exchange Jesus is asked a wonderful thing, ‘teach us to pray.’ And in his response is clearly in two parts: verses 2-4 where he tells them/us WHAT to pray for, and verses 5-13 where he tells them/us HOW to pray. Yes, it really is that simple. If we remember this clear fact of the passage we are saved from much error, much confusion born of reading verses out of context. When reading verses 5-13 we often forget that Jesus has JUST told us WHAT to be praying for :)

Before my next post feel free to read Luke 11 yourself with this clear framework in mind. It really is illuminating.

"Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY. [Verse 2]
(2)  He said to them, "When you pray, say: "'Father,

What worlds of wisdom, what depths of grace, what infinity of assurance, what weight of love there is in this one word from our Saviour.

Many years ago now I was on an interstate bus, overnight. The young lady sitting next to me turned out to be a Jehovah’s Witness. And she was on fire to evangelise, me being the target. I was tired and weary and not long into my own life of understanding the gospel. I recall so vividly her excitement in asking me if I knew ‘God’s REAL name.’ This young lady couldn’t contain her excitement in sharing this wonderful news. God’s real name was Jehovah, as revealed in Old Testament texts.

Today, in that same circumstance I KNOW what my response would be; “Yes, that’s wonderful knowledge, and there is much to learn in understanding that Old Testament name. But do you want to know an even better secret? Jesus came and revealed a BRAND NEW name for God to the world. After thousands of years of calling God Yahweh/Jehovah do you know the radical new and special name he revealed? The name that will change forever how you relate to God once you know and understand it?  ….It’s ‘Father’”

Father! What amazement must the disciples have felt. A whole nation for thousands of years relating to God in a word not dared to be even spoken. Mystery, a veil between, trembling at the foot of the mountain still, and Jesus prays ‘Father.’ WOW! A new world has begun; the gates to Heavens grace are flung open in the sound of this one word – Father."

"Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY. [Verse 2]
(2) ..hallowed be your name,

This is something fascinating isn’t it? It’s actually worded as a ‘petition.’ Now why would Jesus be asking us to pray this? Isn’t this selfish of God? Isn’t it a ‘grovelling’ kind of thing to be praying? After all if God is so great, isn’t he above any petty misuse of his name by us?

So what is this all about? Well, I’m no theologian, and having read some of the theological stuff on this petition I’m still not entirely satisfied by most of the explanations and conclusions. That’s probably my problem, not theirs, mind you. But one thing sticks out for me after a month of chewing the cud on this prayer.

Our first thought is that justice and peace on Earth would be more vital things to pray about. We humans don’t immediately connect that with this ‘hallowed be your name,’ UNTIL we stop and reflect how crazy this world is becoming, how unmoored from the old but vital values (virtue, respect, honour, justice, dignity of life) we have become, BECAUSE we have thrown the mooring cables to God’s rock of stability and meaning overboard. If there is not a holy and righteous creator, what point of any appeal to man to holiness and righteousness? And there’s the point!

Only if God is real, only if he is holy, only if he is equally omnipotent, loving, AND holy does life then demand to be lived through these values of virtue, kindness, justice etc. Virtues that are subjective and mirages, whimsy; virtues grounded in God’s omnipotence and holiness are gripping and persuasive. Indeed, our mission, our ‘good news’ revolves around the hallowing of God’s name.

I find in these four words also a kind of ‘falling in behind God’ in the request, “Lord, make your name holy. And help me to treat it as holy, and extol it as so!” Pray this daily too. I guarantee, this will prove to rekindle your passion to make His name, and his good news, heard."

Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.
 (2) ..your kingdom come.

How our hearts all cry AMEN! “Father, the pain of the struggles in this life ‘distanced from you’ is just too great. We all cry out from the depths of our hearts a cry of repentance. We each own personally the sin of our father and mother, Adam and Eve, the sin that created this gulf, the absence of your person visibly. ‘Your Kingdom come…’ your presence, voice, face; to engross and captivate every waking moment in that kingdom.”

Have you noticed that this instruction is so much shorter than the earlier teaching in Matthew 6? There Jesus instructs them (Mat 6:10 ESV)  “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I wondered about that a long while, and allowed it to just ‘lay out there’ in my thoughts. I wonder if this shortened explanation of what to pray is a deliberate response to the natural inclination of us to ever want more and more detail, more and more explanation and knowledge.

In like manner Jesus reduced all the law down to its bare bones; ‘love God with all your heart, and love your neighbour as yourself.’
The way Jesus explains this praying for the kingdom allows for you to imagine and meditate as your heart leads, and me to do the same.

Will you not pause today and pray ‘your kingdom come?’ And stay with the thought awhile. Ask the Lord to show you some insight as to this mighty plea.


Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY. (3) ..Give us each day our daily bread. Today’s reflection is short, as it should be, though there is wealth of material to meditate upon in every word here, ‘give us each day our daily bread.’ Daily, no request for tomorrow, no plea for more than enough to subsist on. Bread, not cake, not the delicacies or luxuries of life; bread, the basics, enough to subsist on. Oh what peace flows into the heart of the child of God content with ‘daily bread’ and has no anxiety for tomorrow, knowing that a gracious God will respond to tomorrow’s request, as surely as the sun will rise, if only we ask according to his own teaching.

Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.

(4)  Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

How great is the need of forgiveness of my own sins, how trivial every wrong a brother or sister committed against me. I must rush with all haste to forgive brother and sister, and rush with all haste to lay my own confessions at the foot of his cross.

I always used to read this in versions that linked God’s forgiveness to our own in the manner ‘forgive us AS we…..’ That wording is a kind of recognition that God’s forgiveness is conditional on our forgiving others. However if this ESV/ASV translation is correct, even so, the prayer is a personal commitment that we WILL forgive others as God forgives us.

Remember, to forgive is to set a prisoner free; and then discover that prisoner was you.

Reflections on Luke 11 – LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.
Luk 11:9 "So I say to you: ASK and it will be given to you; SEEK and you will find; KNOCK and the door will be opened to you.
How often have you read a message on these words of our Lord? Or heard a sermon exhorting you to be bolder in your prayers. ‘Remember the acronym A.S.K., be like this man, pray believing for a breakthrough……’

Is that what Jesus is getting at? Or is the church all too often wrenching this out of context?
I’m going to attempt this whole 9 verses in one go, then wrap up next time.
What is Jesus saying here?
Well, he has ALREADY told us what to pray for in verses 2 to 4. He also wraps up in verse 13 by reminding us that the greatest gift is the Holy Spirit who He WANTS to give us. Indeed he is telling us to pray boldly, believingly, audaciously; but to pray specifically for His glory, His kingdom, our daily needs, His grace, His leading, and His Holy Spirit.
How about finding time right now to read verses 5 to 12 in the context of verses 2 to 4 just one more time. Lord, speak to our hearts right now.
(5) Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; (6) a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' (7) And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' (8) I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. (9) "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (10) For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (11) "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? (12) Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? (13) If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Learning from the past

I have been reading the biography of David Watson, the remarkable Rector of St Michael-a-Belfry in York, England. David was a leader in the early years of the Charismatic Movement in the Anglican Communion. Born in 1933, he died far too early only 50 years later. 

However in that time he had laid a very firm foundation in the UK and in the USA with John Wimber, the Apostle of the Vineyard Movement. He was also hugely influential in many other countries, including Australia through his visits and his books. His early death was a shock to all of us who benefited greatly from his ministry. I look to him and John Wimber as being two of the formative influences in my life in the Spirit.

In 1997 there was a study carried out to see if there were lessons to be learned for the wider church from the experience of St Michael-a-Belfry under David and the other prominent  pastors there. The survey was carried out at David's request by ACE, the Archbishop's Committee on Evangelism. The summary of this report struck me as being very contemporary.

It was a very probing study which tried to get past the hype of, what was then the first megachurch in the UK. The main points of the report were,

• People really pray believing God will answer. They were a church of fervent prayer.
•  Living worship discloses God as much as preaching. It was the whole “package” of worship, testimony and preaching that brought people into a living relationship with Jesus.
•  The large group was important, but even more important was the close fellowship of their small groups.
• The use of all the arts, dance, drama, music, participation in prayer, street theatre, etc, was a very important part of their life. Communication took place at many levels.

Alongside these very positive comments there were a few issues exposed as a result of the study.

• There was little community engagement. The Kingdom aspects of the Gospel were not emphasised.
• The membership consisted of 2/3 transfer growth and 1/3 conversion growth. The membership was largely from the “mobile” part of the society. It had minimal impact on the long term residents of York.
• They did not attract or hold working class people, despite serious attempts to do so.
• Women were not well represented in the leadership structure. (Comment: this is probably more  a reflection on the general situation in the mid to late 20^th Century rather than a specific problem there.)
• Financial issues. I quote this section verbatim:

“On the face of it St Michael’s does extremely well. It pays its way. It gives overseas liberally.  It helps many mission agencies in this country too. It largely supports work among unattached youth in the city. Through its “households” (ie small groups) the congregation manages to keep many full time staff in action. The graph goes upward, but discounting money given specifically for capital items like renovating church building, the graph turns gently towards a plateau. When corrected for inflation the total giving  is already seen to be in decline. 

This trend is emphasised by a graph showing giving-per-member corrected for inflation. This has been in steady decline since 1974 (Comment: this was written in 1984). The ‘worthship’ of the congregation is seen to have decayed as the excitement of the move to St Michael-a-Belfry wore off (Comment: they moved from another church, St Cuthberts when that facility became too small), and the area groups reached saturation point. (Comment: these groups grew to as many as 50 each, without multiplying ).

Should these facts be preached about, and ‘put right’? Or is this something God looks after Himself in times of specific need? One of the strange questions that kept recurring in the ACE Survey was ‘Does St Michaels always need to be doing something new?’ Maybe there is an unacknowledged financial pressure in the answer to that. Regular sacrificial giving if not part of life-style preaching needs the stimulus of new projects to be paid for.”

Many of these issues can be seen in our modern situation, especially the questions about reaching the ‘average person’, reaching the long term residents, and the issue of needing new projects to keep people engaged.

What do you think?