Prayer

Introduction:

Like the disciples, we, too, need help and encouragement to be effective men and women of prayer.  And just as the Lord taught them to pray, so the Holy Spirit can help us to pray as we consider the principles Jesus taught in The Lord's Prayer.  If we approach this familiar prayer as eager and teachable children discovering something new, we'll be surprised at how much the Holy Spirit will show us through it.

Have you been amazed by something a little child said?  Perhaps it was the way he explained how a toy worked.  Or maybe it was the sharing of an exciting adventure.  With their uncluttered minds and their simple, trusting ways, children often grasp things we adults miss.

Jesus knew this, and, although He taught profound truths, He taught simply - at a level any child could understand.  And, He specifically asked His followers (not only those living during His earthly lifetime, but the many who would come later) to trust Him as little children would.

This is especially true with prayer.  Jesus wanted His disciples to pray with this same childlike attitude to be as natural and as trusting as a child talking with his daddy.  Jesus wasn't "religious" or showy like the religious leaders who prayed loud, repetitious prayers in public.  The Bible tells us that He often slipped quietly away to commune alone with His Father.  This communication with God, as we observe in Scripture, was Jesus' lifeline, His source of power for ministry.  No wonder the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray!

We haven't the space here to discuss all that the Bible says about prayer, but we can take a fresh look at The Lord's Prayer.  Like the disciples, we, too, need help and encouragement to be effective women of prayer.  And just as the Lord taught them to pray, so the Holy Spirit can help us to pray as we consider the principles Jesus taught in The Lord's Prayer.  If we approach this familiar prayer as eager and teachable children discovering something new, we'll be surprised at how much the Holy Spirit will show us through it.

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