Gospel of Luke Wednesday December 8, 2010

Chapter Eleven Wednesday, December 8, 2010

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:…” Luke 11:1-2a

The season of Advent is a time of waiting, being prepared, creating new openness to the Spirit, and developing a mindset of anticipation. We are waiting for the celebration! Not just the celebration of Christmas that involves wrapping paper, family gatherings, abundant food, and a spirit of good cheer. We are waiting for the Christ child to be born anew in our hearts. We wait with anticipation, we prepare our hearts through a season of prayer, and we become open to God’s grace as we remember the child born in Bethlehem.

That same child grew to be a man. He invited people to follow him. And he taught his followers how to pray with a spirit of anticipation. Have you ever asked Jesus to teach you to pray? What do you think he would say? Would he give you the prayerful prose that we recite on Sunday mornings?

I think he might shift to a more declarative style of personal prayer. It might be a prayer style that includes outcomes, opportunities, and the power of transformation. I think it would likely sound a lot like Luke 11:9-10. Take a look!

So, what happens when we ask? And what is the result of faithful seeking? How about the outcomes of a solid knock on the door of life?

The Lord’s Prayer invites us to present our basic needs before God with the full knowledge that the Lord will provide. But the activity of asking, seeking, and knocking is to be done in full expectation that the response has already arrived. The two go hand in hand so our faith can be complete.

Please take a moment right now to recite the Lord’s Prayer out loud or in your heart. Then take a few minutes to commit Luke 11:9-10 to memory. The time will be well spent!


Don't forget to join your friends for dinner tonight at 5:30. Call or email the church office so we know how much food to prepare. 6:00 to 7:00 is the second session of the Gospel of Luke study. Youth and children's groups also meet to think about Christmas Presents that Don't Break!