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 as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 ESV
Notice in today’s verse that learning to pray, was more the hallmark of being a disciple than learning to preach. Of course, we all know by heart the Lord’s prayer, which Jesus used to give us a pattern for our prayers. But if we could back up the bus just a bit, we would see that Jesus’ primary method of teaching prayer was by His example. Remember, that when Jesus went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus took His closest disciples with Him. He didn’t need them to help Him pray. He needed them to be with Him so that they could learn to pray. When I look at my grandchildren today and think of what heritage I will leave behind, I hope it will be that they remember I prayed for them. One of our grandsons is far away from God right now, but when we saw him last week, we put our arms around him and told him that we love him and are praying for him every day. Do I think he listened? Maybe not – but I do know that when God answers our prayers that he will remember. We must never give up praying for our children and grandchildren. We must not give up praying for our neighborhoods, our communities and our nation. If we leave nothing else behind let’s leave behind prayers so big that will be answered after we are with Jesus. This week’s video includes two of my favorite hymns on prayer – In the Garden and Sweet Hour of Prayer. Have a blessed weekend everybody!
praise2worshipdotnet 
Amen, Pete! Our kids and grandkids need our prayers. We’ll never stop praying. Your song touched my heart. One of my family’s all time favorites. God bless you!
In the Garden is my all time favorite hymn. I can’t explain why but after singing it more than a thousand times it is still fresh in my heart every time.
Yes!!! It does mine too! On one of my last posts I included Anne Murray singing it!
Two of my favorite hymns Pastor Pete! I love your statement- “If we leave nothing else behind let’s leave behind prayers so big that will be answered after we are with Jesus.” It’s easy for me to become overwhelmed by the scope of problems facing our world today that I’m tempted to believe the lie that my prayers are just a drop in the ocean. Then I’m reminded that the Lord is asking me to be faithful in praying for those He has laid on my heart to pray for. If we are all faithful in praying for our given drop then the ocean will be filled with drops of prayer.
Amen and those drops are each one a step of faith and a choice to trust God to answer! I love that image, Beth. Have a blessed Sunday.
If we don’t pray for our loved ones, who will? It’s such an awesome privilege
Amen Barbara
Learning by example is so true. Recently, I was blessed to hear one of my younger grandchildren pattern her prayer after a prayer of mine. It was a blessed moment of joy mingled with the weight of responsibility. It exemplified how much is “caught” versus retention of what is taught by more formal means.
And we pray that seed will weTher the storms of teenage years and grow in adulthood.
Amen!