40 Days of Lent - Day 8

Day 8 - Luke 11: 1 -- DR

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of this disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." Luke 11:1

“Lord, teach us to pray.” This is one of the most unique statements in all of the gospels for two reasons. First, it is stated in the imperative: this is the mood of a command. Although we might be shocked by the force of this and likely want to soften it by adding “please” there is something very powerful about the way the disciple made his statement. It definitely is not a question or suggestion.

Secondly, this is the only time Jesus was asked to teach something. What prompted it? Luke often records that something powerful happened when Jesus prayed: a voice from heaven speaks; the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove; the appearance of his face changes; his clothes become white and gleaming; Elijah and Moses appear; and an angel comes to strengthen him. No wonder the disciple wanted to learn to pray like Jesus.

Do we want to see the awe-inspiring happen when we pray? Are we eager to experience glimpses of God’s glory when we pray? If so, we need to be bold and say: “Lord, teach us to pray.”  Maybe a snow day is a good day to practice this imperative.