We’re spending four weeks thinking about our prayer life as a church.

We thought working our way through the Lord’s Prayer would be a good base to work from.  We’re probably more familiar with the term – ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, but perhaps a better title would be ‘The Child’s Prayer’.  It’s from the Lord, but FOR children. It is the prayer that Jesus invites us to pray because we have the unique position as adopted children of God – brothers and sisters of Jesus.

Jesus invites us I think to consider how prayer to a caring heavenly Father will be different to the prayers of the religious showman and the religious pagans.

The showman loves to be seen as both prayerful and theologically profound.  He prays in order to be seen.  Jesus says they have been rewarded – by the applause of the crowd.  They have their reward – and nothing more.

The pagans of Jesus’ day thought that their gods heard them because of techniques and repetition.  Jesus contrasts that with the God of the Bible, who both knows all and is a Father who cares for His children.  He does not have to be spurred into action on their behalf.  Rather, he longs for them to come and lay their needs before Him.

So prayer in Jesus’ terms is neither a duty nor a show.  It is a privilege to be enjoyed.  So let’s spend four weeks reflecting on how we can individually and corporately delight in God in prayer.  If you missed the first talk, you might like to download it here.

In Christ,

Nick