Day 2 - Teach Us How to Pray

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’” Luke 11:1, NIV

The Heart of the Christian Life

Prayer is essential and important for our spiritual lives.

“Every morning, take time to start your work with prayer. Don’t think this is wasted time; it is time that will last forever” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 194).

The disciples often saw Jesus praying and noticed He had a different prayer life. They were good people; they attended church and practiced their faith. But when they compared their prayers with Jesus’ prayers, they realized they didn’t really know how to pray. This is why they asked Him, “Teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

Many of us think prayer is simple. While God listens to every prayer, we should always seek to improve how we pray. The disciples found that their preaching was not effective, and they felt powerless in their efforts. Jesus told them they needed “prayer and fasting” to find God’s power.

“Prayer is the breath of the soul. . . . If you neglect it, you will lose your connection with God” (Prayer, pp. 12, 13). Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer, often praying throughout the night. He showed that prayer is both necessary and a gift (Steps to Christ, pp. 93, 94).

Jesus made prayer a priority. He woke up early and went to a quiet place to pray (Mark 1:35, NKJV). When the disciples asked how to pray, Jesus did not give them a set formula. He encouraged them to speak to God sincerely and not use the same phrases repeatedly (Matt. 6:7).

“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend” (Steps to Christ, p. 93). It should be a genuine conversation. Prayer and studying the Word go together. Through prayer, we talk to God, and through the Word, God talks to us.

Jesus is our example and encourages us to pray like He did.