"Lord, teach us to pray..." Pastor's Pen for June 1st 2025

Sunset at Centennial Park

This Sunday I'm preaching from Matthew 6: 5-14 with a sermon entitled How shall we pray? This is of course the Lord's Prayer, and is really instruction on private prayer, although of course it has been a feature of public prayer for many centuries also.

The parallel passage is in Luke chapter 11 and has the disciples observing Jesus at prayer in a certain place, prompting one of them to say; "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." (v.1)

Was there something deeply compelling about watching Jesus at prayer? I think it's safe to assume that there was. In Luke's narrative, the disciples have already observed Jesus demonstrate power over the elements of nature and over the spiritual realm, in the calming of the storm and the casting out of demons. The seventy have already been sent out and experienced some amazing hands-on ministry themselves. Jesus has their attention. Surely his power comes from an authentic communion with God, in prayer?

The cry "Lord teach us to pray..." is ageless, but also contemporary. There is never a bad time to pray. I heard reports on Monday that the people of Hibiscus Coast congregation have turned to prayer out of concern for their future, and have seen the fruit of an increased number of younger families at worship.

There are a raft of human reasons why more traditional types of Presbyterian churches are going going down the tubes. Yet we are not governed solely by human reasons. We are governed by God's Spirit who meets us in prayer and guides us with sustaining power, wisdom and love. "Lord, teach us to pray..." Shalom