A Primer On Prayer

Prayer is one of basic disciplines of the Christian life and something every Christian must learn how to do. One time after listening to Jesus pray, His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray like He prayed. In response to their request, Jesus provided them with a simple, yet profound prayer. We know it today as the Lord’s Prayer which is by far the most beloved and most often quoted prayer of all time. Over the centuries, it has been repeated millions, maybe even billions of times, by countless people and is regularly recited in churches all around the globe. Sadly, however, it is probably the most misunderstood and misapplied portion of Scripture. Jesus never intended this prayer to be something we parrot mindlessly and mechanically like so many often do. It was meant to be an example of the kind of conversation a believer should have with God in prayer. Rather than viewing the Lord’s Prayer as just some beautiful prayer to recite, we should consider it a model, a guide, a pattern, a template, or a blueprint for us to follow when we pray.