The Lord's Prayer

The title perhaps reminds you of the prayer that begins "Our Father who art in heaven..." That is how Jesus taught His disciples to pray. But, that's not the prayer I am referring to here. This is a prayer that Jesus Himself prayed. What better way to learn about prayer than to listen to Jesus Himself pray?

We read about the prayer that Jesus prayed just before He was arrested and then crucified. He was very close to the culmination of His earthly mission. He knew He was about to bear the weight of all the sin on Himself. It was going to be an intense moment, when He would be deserted by dear friends, suffer physical pain, cry out in agony, and go through death. Just a little while before His arrest, here's what He prayed:

"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39)

Based on a Relationship

Jesus prayed because He was in an intimate relationship with the Father - He and the Father are one. Jesus was having a conversation with the Father.

Sometimes, I am tempted to pray at God, rather than praying to Him. At times, it seems easier for me to ramble a few familiar sentences rather than take the time to look at God and have a conversation with Him. But He is more interested in relating to us than going through our list of petitions.

Honest Prayer

Jesus preferred that the cup (perhaps, the cup of suffering He was about to go through) be taken from Him. Of course, He knew that was the very reason He came down to earth. But He was honest in prayer about what He thought and felt.

One night, I was angry. I didn't even want to talk to my husband. And I didn't feel like praying. Well, who else do I talk to? After a few minutes, I broke the silence by talking to God. This is how I started: "Lord, I am angry, and I don't even feel like praying". I had actually started praying already! A few moments into that conversation with God, my anger just melted away and the Lord's sweet presence filled me with His love. Not that I had to inform God how I felt. He already knew. But God loves a sincere from-the-heart prayer (even if it is just a sigh) more than a lengthy and great sounding prayer that is only from the lips. (Luke 18:9-14)

Submission

After Jesus voiced His desire, He brought it under the subjection of the Father. He did not beg that He would somehow get His way through, but He prayed that the will of God would prevail. I think that is how every prayer should end - by yielding to Him who knows the best!

As we pray, may our desires align more with God's!

I used to be scared of God

Growing up as a pastor's kid, I have been to many Pentecostal 'revival' meetings with my parents. I would come out of most of those meetings questioning my relationship with God. In those meetings, people looked excited about prayer - they would clap, shout and jump while praying. They sounded fluent and professional in their prayers. Many could even pray in different tongues. Often, I would stand there, unable to feel any of that, and wondering what is wrong with my faith in God. In many meetings, participants were encouraged to ask for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I have asked for the Holy Spirit to fill me, but almost always, I never felt a thing. Others described different emotions, and I have often seen people fall down as they receive the Holy Spirit. None of that has ever happened to me, although that's not reason enough to question the genuineness of those experiences. I had voiced these questions to my dad, my spiritual mentor. He consoled me saying that we receive the Holy Spirit by faith, not by how we feel. God does give us spiritual gifts by His will. Dad also encouraged me to yearn more for the fruit of the Spirit than the experiences, which some people may be given as a sign.

Though I received the Holy Spirit by faith, many things I saw around me developed in me a fear of the Holy Spirit. Shocking, isn't it? The Holy Spirit is meant to be my Comforter, yet I was scared of Him. So scared that for a couple of years, I very carefully avoided asking for the Holy Spirit to fill me! I know I was foolish to think that way, but I felt as if Jesus is a good friend, but the Holy Spirit is a scary ghost. One night, I shared this with a good Christian friend. She asked if I had prayed about it. Um, well, may be... But then I started praying about my crazy fear. My attitude started changing, but not overnight.

“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:11-13) It was this passage in the Bible that reminded me to overcome my fear. He is the 'Holy' Spirit, He is a good Gift. And He is God.


As a child, I have often prayed, "Jesus, come into my heart." Essentially, I was inviting the Holy Spirit to live in me. The great thing about the Holy Spirit is that He is God in us. What a great privilege to have Him right with us, whispering to us and nudging us to walk in His ways! "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." (John 14:26)

I had to ask the Lord to forgive me for being scared of Him. After all, how would I feel if my son was scared of me? Of course, I would still be gentle and patient with Him. That's exactly how God dealt with me - patient, yet persistent. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7) The Lord doesn't scare us away, instead He gently draws us near.