"Teach us to Pray?"

There is something within each of us that pulls us in the direction of God. There is a God-shaped empty place in us that will not be satisfied with anything less than God. Often we look for life in all the wrong places, only to discover that what Augustine said is true, “Thou hast made us for Thyself O God, and our hearts are restless ‘til they find their rest in Thee.”

God has given us the gift of Prayer as the primary means by which we make connection with God and send our roots into the meaning of life. Let me give you my definition of Prayer: Prayer is anything you do with a conscious awareness of God. It has been described as “practicing the presence of God.” Whatever you are doing, you are aware of God, and open to His guidance and His strength.

Clearly, Jesus was a man of Prayer. He was able to do the remarkable things He did only because He was plugged in to the source of meaning and power in life. Of course, I am talking about God. Prayer is where that contact took place. Jesus spent sizable blocks of time in intimate contact with God, through Prayer. In Prayer, Jesus was still and quiet and He experienced the “Godness” of God. He opened His life to the breezes of God’s Spirit. He prayed daily as a matter of custom. But especially when He had a decision to make, a difficult task to do, or a cross to face, He would first spend time with God in Prayer, and then go to do what He had to do. The disciples knew that Prayer was the source of Jesus’ power. That’s why they asked Him, “Lord, teach us how to pray.”

"This, then, is how you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one'." - Matthew 6:9-13

Prayer is a mystery, but the one thing I am sure of is that if you take Prayer seriously, it will change your life. It changes mine. Prayer is able to change the situation in which we find ourselves and Prayer is able to change the person who is praying. In Prayer, we receive love and guidance and strength.

You know I Love ya and pray for you - Don