Title: Why I Pray
Text:
Luke 11:1-4 (ESV)
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." 2 And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."
Observation:
This passage tells me all I need to know about the importance and the necessity of prayer. Notice those who Luke pointed out felt the need to pray; Jesus, John the Baptist, and the twelve disciples. If they needed to pray, then surely you and I need to pray.
The twelve disciples were aware through the example of John the Baptist and Jesus of the importance of prayer. So one of them spoke up on behalf of the other eleven, and asked Jesus to teach them to pray.
Notice how Jesus answered their question.
Luke 11:2 (ESV)
And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
The object of our prayers should be God the Father; we come to God as His sons and daughters. We are God's children, and children need to communicate with their Father. We pray on the basis of sonship; we don't come to God as customers, we come to Him as children.
Galatians 4:6-7 (ESV)
6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
God is not a grouchy judge like Luke described in this passage:
Luke 18:2-5 (ESV)
2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'"
Unlike the grouchy judge, God is a generous Father. You can come to Him and get justice, grace, and mercy.
Luke 18:7 (ESV)
And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, I am so grateful the door to Your throne room is always open for every child of God.
Father, give each of Your children a burning desire to pray using the pattern that Jesus taught His disciples to pray. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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Matthew 4:4 (HCSB)
4 But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Psalm 2:8 (HCSB)
8 Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance and the ends of the earth Your possession.
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