Dooley Noted: Lord, teach us to Pray

Years ago, while meeting with a group of clergymen in London, someone asked Billy Graham what he would change if he could do his ministry over again. Without hesitation, the famed evangelist stated that “he would study three times as much as he had done, and he would give much more time to prayer.” His admission is both inspiring and convicting at the same time, particularly as it relates to our commitment to pray.

Prayer is simple to understand but profound in its reality. Though God does not need us to pray in order to accomplish His will, He invites us to pray so that we can participate in His divine work. Nothing brings us more comfort and confusion simultaneously like the discipline of prayer. How to pray? What to pray? When to pray? Who should pray? Perhaps it was questions like these that compelled the disciples to request of Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray (Lk. 11:1).” The Lord’s reply provides us the most profound lesson on communicating with God ever given.

Though some refer to these words as the Lord’s prayer, a more accurate description would be the disciples’ prayer. Jesus instructed, “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

‘Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

‘Give us this day our daily bread.

‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil’ (Matt. 6:9-13).”

This lesson is difficult, not because of its interpretive challenge, but due to its practical implications. Before understanding these words, we should note that Jesus assumed our robust Christian commitment to prayer. Repeatedly, He admonished, “When you pray . . .” not “If you pray . . .” (Matt. 6:5-7). These were more than instructions for Jesus. Any serious study of His life reveals a vigorous commitment to and a wholesome example of serious prayer.

Immediately after His baptism, Jesus went to the desert to pray for 40 days and nights. Likewise, the regular habit of His daily ministry included focused supplication. Luke reveals that Jesus “would often slip away to the wilderness and pray (Luke 5:16).” He often rose early in the morning to spend time with His Father (Mark 1:35) and on more than one occasion He spent the entire night in prayer (Luke 6:12).

But, if these patterns make up God’s example and His expectation, why do we find it so difficult to pray consistently? Better still, what can we do about it? The following guidelines emerge when we unpack Jesus’ directives.

Avoid seeking recognition when you pray. Just before teaching the disciples about prayer Jesus warned, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them (Matt. 6:1).” At first glance, this restriction appears to prohibit public prayers, but such a knee-jerk reaction fails to consider that the Bible is full of public cries to God. Jesus Himself prayed while hanging on the cross. Additionally, the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost during a public prayer meeting (Acts 2). Thus, a better understanding is that Jesus was condemning the prideful piety that seeks the attention of men more than an exchange with God.

Because Jewish prayer customs called for daily petitions at a particular time, the Pharisees would be sure to find the busiest street corner so that they could wax eloquently in front of others as they prayed. Creating such a spectacle may impress others, but it will not result in a divine encounter. Remember, God will reward you openly for the prayers you offer in secret (Matt. 6:6).

Avoid meaningless repetition when you pray (Matt. 6:7). Because an abundance of words does not reveal the sincerity of the heart, we should avoid empty, sanctimonious chatter. Religious formulas and cliches are more of an obstacle than an aid to genuine, heartfelt prayer. John Bunyan correctly observed, “When you pray it would be better to let your heart be without words, than to let your words be without heart.”  God is not moved by our vocabulary, no matter how expansive or poetic it might be.

Remember that your relationship with Jesus is key. By telling us to address God as “our Father,” Jesus reveals that apart from a relationship with the Lord our prayers will not be heard (Matt. 6:9a). Addressing the God we do not know is a doomed exercise from the start. We must pray to the Father through Christ the Son who is the one mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5). Scripture reassures us that we “are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26).” 

Honor the single restriction of every prayer. One boundary should govern every request we offer to the Lord when we call out to Him. The goal of every prayer should be “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Every petition should align with His Word! Every goal should glorify His name! Every directive should prioritize His plan! The pure ambition of our prayers must not be getting our will done in heaven but getting God’s will done on earth. When we align our requests with God’s perfect will we know that He hears us (1 John 5:14-15).

Learn to forgive others when you pray. As we seek the forgiveness of our sins, Jesus instructs us to be willing to forgive others as well (Matt. 6:12). Why? Because receiving the grace of God while refusing to share it with others is a heretical contradiction. Assuming that we deserve grace and others do not reveals great ignorance about two biblical realities—1) Our sinfulness and 2) God’s holiness. Praying for and forgiving others keeps our feet planted firmly on the level ground at the foot of the cross. 

Dr. Adam B. Dooley is pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, TN, and author of Hope When Life Unravels. Contact him at adooley@ebcjackson.org. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBDooley.