Read
Prayer
(Matthew 6.9-13; 7.7-11)
1When Jesus had finished praying, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his followers to pray.”
2So Jesus told them, “Pray in this way:
‘Father, help us
to honor your name.
Come and set up
your kingdom.
3Give us each day
the food we need.
4Forgive our sins,
as we forgive everyone
who has done wrong to us.
And keep us
from being tempted.’ ”
5Then Jesus went on to say:
Suppose one of you goes to a friend in the middle of the night and says, “Let me borrow three loaves of bread. 6A friend of mine has dropped in, and I don't have a thing for him to eat.” 7And suppose your friend answers, “Don't bother me! The door is bolted, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up to give you something.”
8He may not get up and give you the bread, just because you are his friend. But he will get up and give you as much as you need, simply because you are not ashamed to keep on asking.
9So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. 10Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. 11Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? 12Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? 13As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your heavenly Father is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.
Reflect
It was characteristic of Jesus to be in constant communication with his Father. Prayer was central to his life and ministry. The disciples who witnessed this discerned something of the importance of prayer and they asked Jesus to teach them to pray. We have considered how so many failed to hear Jesus and the message he had for them, how they distanced themselves from the kingdom. Prayer, in contrast, is a way not only to speak to God but also to hear God speak. Prayer, as one author suggests, “reframes, reminds and re-awakens”. In the busyness of ordinary life it is easy to forget our identity. Prayer alerts us to the kingdom framework in which we are to live. Prayer is a place where we are invited to leave behind our sinful habits, find forgiveness and pursue righteousness. In prayer we can find fresh openness to the promise of the kingdom – and the knowledge that the “kingdom, the power and the glory” belong to God.
To support his teaching on prayer Jesus tells the story of a late night request for bread from a neighbour. Though the neighbour was perhaps unwelcome because of the poor timing, Jesus makes plain there is no poor timing in our requests to God. The story speaks to asking for ordinary things like bread, which is also noted in the prayer he taught them. But at the end Jesus makes an unexpected remark. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” The unreceptive hearts which have been blinded to the coming of the kingdom are only a request away from receiving the Holy Spirit through whom they will have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Respond
Welcoming God, teach me to pray. I ask for your Holy Spirit to open my eyes, soften my heart and guide me in the ways of the kingdom. Thank you for the gift of prayer and the invitation to intimacy as I speak to you and you speak to me.
John Franklin
John Franklin has served as Executive Director of Imago since 1998, a Toronto based initiative in support of Christians in the arts in Canada. He is linked with a large network of Christian artists across Canada and internationally through Lausanne and the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission. Prior to Imago he was a professor of philosophy at Tyndale College and has taught courses in theology and the arts at Toronto School of Theology. He publishes Imago's quarterly newsletter and an occasional online IMAGO Reflection.