There’s simply nothing more fundamental to our spiritual lives as prayer. And yet, if you’re like me, you often struggle to pray, feel guilty for not praying enough, or aren’t really sure if you’re doing it right in the first place. At times, I’ve become disillusioned at my lack of discipline and desire for prayer. What followed was seasons of dryness, doubt, and longing for more than I was experiencing. It’s hard to know how important prayer is – and yet feel like you aren’t very good at it!
So if you’ve struggled with prayer before, you’re not alone. Jesus’ disciples struggled enough with prayer that they asked Jesus how to pray (Luke 11:1). They saw Jesus do countless amazing things – teach, preach, heal, cast out demons, even raise people from the dead – but the only thing they ask him to teach them was to pray.
Think about that.
There was something so compelling about the prayer life of Jesus that the disciples couldn’t help but ask. As Jews, they had certainly seen and participated in their fair share of prayer through their lives. The Jewish faith was rooted in prayer – just look at the Psalms! But something about the way Jesus prayed was different. It was magnetic. It was more than ritual or obligation – it was infused with passion and life.
This weekend, we’re starting a series on Prayer, and just as the disciples did so long ago, we’re asking Jesus to teach us to pray. Our goal in this series is not about offering strategy or ‘best practices.’ The last thing we need is guilt-driven call to simply “try harder.” It’s about learning to know the Father the way Jesus did, and as we do, getting to know Him in prayer. Richard Foster says “Real prayer comes not from gritting our teeth but from falling in love.” That, in the end, is our goal in prayer – love.
That’s where we are headed starting this weekend at Restoration. Don’t miss it!