Lk.11:1 – It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples”.
This is the most important lesson we can learn from the Lord, to pray the way He prayed and prays. It is quite interesting when you consider who Jesus is and His total dependence on prayer. Jesus is no less than God, a co-equal member of the trinity yet we always find Him in that place of prayer. The disciples learned the importance of prayer by simple observation, this was a major part of the life of Jesus. He prayed in His days on earth in His humility as a man, He continues in prayer today seated in the place of glory with the Father on His throne. The disciples recognized this was the source of the power that Jesus walked in and so they asked for Him to teach them to pray. Here is how Andrew Murray describes this important topic.
“And of all the traits of a life like Christ, there is none higher and more glorious than conformity to Him in the work that now engages Him without ceasing in the Father’s presence – His all-prevailing intercession. The more we abide in Him and grow unto His likeness, the more His priestly life will work in us mightily, and our life will become what His is, a life that always pleads and prevails for men. Rev.1:6 – ‘Thou has made us kings and priests unto God’. With both the king and the priest, the chief things are power, influence, and blessing. With the king, the power flows downward, and with the priest, the power rises upward and prevails with God. In our blessed Priest-King, Jesus Christ, the kingly power is founded on the priestly statement: He is able also to save to the uttermost . . . seeing he ever lives to make intercession. In us, it is not otherwise. In intercession, the church can find and wield its highest power; each member of the church has power with God and with men – and prevails.”
This is the place we become like Christ, it is in that place of absolute dependency that we call prayer. What is prayer? Acknowledging your limitations and dependency on God’s greatness and power. So let’s follow in the steps of disciples from every generation, “Lord teach us to pray”. Teach us the place of total dependency and absolute surrender to His great love.
