Every time you wonder if you’re praying right, take a look at the Lord’s Prayer. I don’t mean the words that you probably memorized as a kid and can repeat as fast as you say the Pledge of Allegiance. I mean: Look at the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible.
It appears twice, once in the book of Luke (11:2-4) and in a slightly longer form in the book of Matthew (6:9-13). Context says a lot here.
I’ve always figured that the Lord’s Prayer was a matter of Jesus giving us specific words to pray. A glance at the version in Luke and that sounds right. One of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray,” wanting to be taught the way John the Baptist taught his followers. Jesus responded, “When you pray, say …” The familiar words follow.
But in Matthew, the prayer appears toward the end of all that practical life advice in the Sermon on the Mount. Here Jesus gives the preamble, “When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think by saying many words they’ll be heard. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask. Pray like this …”
There I get the feeling Jesus is telling me, “Here’s a simple guide. Be direct in prayer, not wordy. Cover all the bases. Think of whom you are addressing. Look to your needs. Relinquish. Forgive.”
“When you pray, say …” vs. “Pray like this …”
The words of the Lord’s Prayer are sublime, but it helps me a lot to think of it also as a guide. Our days are busy. There are a lot of demands on our time. But here’s a way to pray that’s both quick and thorough.
The Lord’s Prayer doesn’t take long to memorize. And it can cover a lifetime.
