TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Jesus’s disciples asked him how to pray. This is a fascinating detail because his followers were well acquainted with prayer. They were raised praying in their Jewish households and probably knew all the traditional prayers. They probably had been praying daily for half of their lives at the point when they asked this question. They probably sensed something was different about the way Jesus prayed. So, they didn’t just want to learn more about “prayer,” they wanted to learn to pray as Jesus prayed. With all their knowledge and practice, they still asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
There is a lot we can learn from this heart of humility and desire to learn. When we first begin to follow Jesus, we may be hungry for more so we can grow. After following Jesus for some time, we might be more likely to coast and stop learning and growing. However, the heart of these disciples should speak and challenge us. Even if we have been praying for half of our lives, we still have things to learn. Let us continue to ask Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Pray to our Heavenly Father with your arms out and hands open. Ask him to teach you to pray. Allow this to be your heart throughout this entire 40 Days of Prayer. Make a plan to pray this short prayer regularly to God, “Lord, teach me to pray.” Download our lock screen from Monday as a reminder. Be sure to pray The Lord’s Prayer today and maybe put it in your calendar with an alarm to remember to pray it Saturday and Sunday too.
40 DAYS OF PRAYER
Join us for 40 DAYS OF PRAYER where all of us will find a quiet space and slowly read The Lord’s Prayer. May forty days of praying like Jesus prayed, and desiring what Jesus wanted, make a big difference in our hearts and our communities.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art 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 forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.
NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN
Join us this year as we read through the New Testament.
Today’s reading is John 5.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
