Prayer

Prayer

WHEN AND HOW DID JESUS PRAY?

Prayer

We all know that prayer was part of Jesus' life.
At each major milestone in his ministry we find him at prayer.

How did, Jesus manage to align himself totally with the Father's Will?
How did he handle criticism and conflict so well?
How did his teaching come to be the clearest and deepest that the world has seen?
How could he harness and focus the healing power of God to mend broken lives?

We should recognise that prayer isn't a method, but rather a way of life. However some of the details of Jesus' life give us vital pointers to effective prayer.

Jesus Made Space:

When Jesus wanted to pray, he put some distance, however small, between himself and his everyday distractions. In the pressure of an incredibly busy life, with people's expectations of him mounting to fever pitch, he would frequently and regularly take time to pray.

We know from the Gospels that he made time and space for prayer by climbing mountains or by walking the desert. We know that sometimes he got up early to spend time with his heavenly Father. On occasions he would give a whole night to prayer. Always we see him favouring the lonely places and the quiet times.

But far from marking Jesus out as an introvert or a recluse. we see that such withdrawal formed a reservoir of spiritual refreshment. In prayer he basked in the Father's love. He asked for, and received, the wisdom and insight he needed. He recharged his spiritual batteries, returning to his task with renewed mental alertness and physical vigour.

This should be a pattern for our prayer, whether in the quiet, or the hustle and bustle of our living. Remembering that prayer does not change God's mind, it changes us.

Jesus Harnessed Emotion:

Jesus was fully human, and he experienced the full range of human emotions. We see him ecstatic when God's works are going well. At other times we detect clear signs of frustration, exasperation and fatigue. There are times when he is downright angry - and eloquent with it. And once or twice he weeps unashamedly - at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, or when he perceives the appalling tragedy which will befall his beloved Jerusalem.

But instead of following his deep sighs of frustration or grief with a helpless shrug, Jesus channelled his feelings into prayer. Instead of allowing anger and frustration to lock him into a prison of depression, Jesus presents this agony that he feels, to his heavenly Father.

Jesus Was Open To God:

When Jesus prayed he was open to the guidance of God his Father. Late in his ministry, some Greeks approached Jesus. No doubt they wanted to invite the outstanding teacher and wonder - worker to return with them to Greece and so embark on a whole new area of work. And how tempting that must have been for Jesus, for whom death was a few days away. His reply to them is as deep as it is moving: "Now my heart is troubled and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." John 12: 27-28

Here we see the beginning, middle and end of Jesus' prayer; "Father, glorify your name!" When Jesus said this he summarised every prayer he had ever prayed, and captured the meaning and method of his whole life. For Jesus, prayer was never a way of asking God the Father to endorse his own decisions. Rather it was a constant aligning of his life and work to the mind, will and character of God.

And so he could say:

"I am telling you the truth: the Son can do nothing on his own; he does only what he sees his Father doing. What the Father does, the Son also does." John 5:19

We can model our prayer life on Jesus as we seek God's direction and will in our lives. Make Space, Harness Your Emotions and be Open To God.

So, Why is Prayer difficult?

We have looked at when and how Jesus prayed recognising that he made space, found time, harnessed his emotion and opened himself to God. So why do we find it so hard to pray?

If God is so real to us and we know that he wants us to pray, that prayer is such a privilege, what is it that stops us? The answer is easy, we don't want to start. Something in us, our human nature, flinches from prayer. God's presence, peace and power in our lives should lift us to constant praise and prayer; but we don't want to spend time at it now. It's not half as exciting as the sports program or soap opera, and it can't be as urgent as that phone call I have to make or the magazine article.

But what is it that lies beneath these immediate excuses? It really is our own self - centredness and our hostility to God. In Genesis we very quickly see the first man and woman disobey God and start to avoid him:

"That evening they heard the Lord God walking in the garden, and they hid from him among the trees. " Gen 3: 8

Like Adam and Eve we know that to come to God face to face in prayer can expose us. We can't in any way claim to be open to God while at the same time nursing resentments, bearing grudges and generally insisting on running our own lives.

The disciple Simon Peter, had it right. He fell on his knees in front of Jesus and said,

"Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!" Luke 5:8" Luke 5:8

Why don't we pray? Because we are on the run from God. We find a hundred and one things we could be doing, and we are scared that God will call for a change in our priorities. We have a thousand guilty secrets we want to hide, and we know he'll see right through us.

In the face of all this, there is only one thing to do. We have to stop running, get on our knees, and say, "Lord, help me to want to pray. of

Murray Lamont

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