Friday, February 8, 2019: Luke 11:1

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

Earlier this week, we considered the idea of an expert in a certain field. Throughout His ministry, Jesus had shown that He was an expert in prayer. He gave prayer continual priority in His life and even frequently withdrew from the crowds to spend time with His Father. This may have seemed counterintuitive, as Jesus often left what might be perceived as “the real action” to go and pray.

However, it was clear to His disciples that Jesus prioritized prayer and He did so because it was where He was strengthened and empowered for ministry. Recognizing that Jesus was an expert on prayer, one of His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray as He did. In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus instructed His followers how to pray.

Even with Jesus’ example and instruction of the apostles, we still have questions about prayer. After we complete this series on prayer, you will still have questions. That’s okay! Jesus didn’t berate His disciples who had seen Him pray and heard Him pray when they asked, “How are we supposed to pray?” Yes, He gave them a model to go by and some practical words about prayer along the way. But Jesus’ prayer was not founded on the perfect method. The power in His prayer was found in deep dependence on His Father. This should also be our goal as we seek to grow in prayer.

• What would it look like for you to grow this week in your dependence on the Father? How would that type of dependence on God impact your prayer life?

• Pray: Take some time to confess the questions or hang-ups that tend to keep you from praying without ceasing in full dependence on God. Ask God to draw you into the kind of relationship that continuously seeks Him in prayer.