Being Taught How to Pray

This Sunday the Gospel reading focuses on prayer, giving us what we call The Lord's Prayer and also a parable that Jesus told regarding prayer.

The reading begins with these words about Jesus:  "He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."  Luke 11:1

I believe we are all students of prayer; we all are on this journey of traveling in faith where we may desire to speak to God.  Don't we know how difficult communication can be among us as human beings?  Now consider our speaking to God, the One who made us - the One who is holy and blameless.  How do we do it with meaning, and perhaps even with proper etiquette and if you will, humility?

Jesus gave his disciples words to use in what folks in many churches will pray every Sunday.  One wonders if we are to use the exact words Jesus gave or did these words serve merely as a model giving us structure and content?   Whatever it may be, we have a direction in our praying.  Jesus wanted us to be able to speak to his heavenly Father.

He then gave them a parable, teaching them to be persistent in prayer.  How often do you pray?  Do you feel prayer is making a difference in your life?