One time Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his followers said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his followers.”

Luke 11:1 (NCV)

As Jesus lived life alongside His disciples, He taught them. Throughout the Gospels, we saw that He spoke to them directly; He spoke to them in parables. He was always guiding, directing, and equipping. If we had been Jesus’ disciples back then, we probably would have peppered Him with questions about how to raise the dead or cast out demons. We most likely would have been a little obsessed with the how-to’s of walking on water or turning water into wine. But the only instructions the disciples specifically requested was about PRAYER! They wanted to know God, who He was, and how to connect with Him. They had seen Jesus pray, they had heard Him pray, and they wanted what He had: an intimate relationship with their Heavenly Father.  

When you pray, you may get distracted, your mind may struggle to stay focused on God for more than a minute, but it is called a spiritual “discipline” for a reason. It takes practice and intentionality to grow in your prayer life. If you get distracted when you pray, if your mind tends to wander, pull it back again and again. Praying out loud can help keep you focused on Jesus. And be sure to leave time to hear from God, too. Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13 give you a pattern, an outline to follow, in what we call The Lord’s Prayer. It includes recognition and adoration of God, seeking His agenda for our lives, depending on Him for everything, confession that gets our hearts right with Him, taking a stand against the enemy, and declaring faith and trust in His sovereign, His power, and His glory.

Jesus wants you to know Him as intimately as He knows you! Prayer brings you close to Him, it connects your heart with His. It doesn’t change His heart, it shapes yours, and it can bring you a peace and a joy that no other relationship can ever provide. Your prayer life with Jesus is “living life alongside Him” like the original disciples. Dig into His Word, let Him guide you, direct you, and equip you. He will teach you how to pray. You are loved!