Jesus and Prayer

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World Chapter 7: Crying “Abba” —Continuously

This one-word prayer, Father, is uniquely Jesus’ prayer. His first recorded sentence at age twelve is about his father: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). Abba is the first word the prodigal son utters when he returned home. It is the first word of the Lord’s Prayer, and it is the first word Jesus prays in Gethsemane. It is his first word on the cross —“Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34) —and one of his last —“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46). Father was my first prayer as I began praying continuously, and I find that it is still my most frequent prayer.

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World Chapter 24: How God Places Himself in the Story

If Jesus were a magic prayer machine, he’d have healed this woman’s daughter instantly, and we would not have discovered her feisty, creative spirit. Likewise, Jesus’ ambiguity with us creates the space not only for him to emerge but us as well. If the miracle comes too quickly, there is no room for discovery, for relationship. With both this woman and us, Jesus is engaged in a divine romance, wooing us to himself.

The waiting that is the essence of faith provides the context for relationship. Faith and relationship are interwoven in dance. Everyone talks now about how prayer is relationship, but often what people mean is having warm fuzzies with God. Nothing wrong with warm fuzzies, but relationships are far richer and more complex.

John 5:16-18- The Father is working and I am working

This is what we want in prayer

We Know that God is working in this world

He is never sleeping, He is never passive

In prayer,

We ask God to work for us

We ask God to work through us

They called this blasphemy but Jesus goes on to defend himself. He is in relationship with the Father and can therefore do the work of God

Jesus’ relationship with the Father

The Son can do nothing of himself (19-23)

They work together in all things (even from creation John 1:1-3)

The Son learns from the father and does accordingly

The Son remains in the love of the Father

In so much as to reject the Son is to reject the Father

The Son is sent from the Father (24)

The Son teaches the words that are given him from the Father (John 12:44-50)

The Son knows where he came from and where he is going

He is on a mission for the Father

His joy is in pleasing the Father (John 4:31-34)

The Son has life from the Father (25-47)

Does not seek his own will but follows the will of the Father (30)

Trust in the Father to bear witness of him (34)

Does not count the approval of men as anything

Does all in the name of the Father (43-44)

Sound like prayer!!!

He is not just another prophet crying out to God as an accuser or mediator (45-47)

he does not stand opposite of God but stand beside God casting judgment and mercy in unity with God

He is one with God and does the work of God (John 10:30)

Illustration with person as God- stand opposite and then stand beside

How does Jesus’ relationship with the Father affect his prayer life? It is this unity in relationship that allows Jesus to pray and be constant in prayer.

Jesus’ prayer to the Father

First words of Jesus (Luke 2:48-52)

Mary looks at him and says “Son”

Your father was looking for you

Why don’t you do our will?

Jesus replies, I am doing my Father’s work

Why are you seeking me to do your will

I am with my Father

First words of Prayer (Luke 10:21, Luke 11:2)

Our Father which art in Heaven

First words in Gethsemne (Luke 22:42)

Father, remove this cup from me

First words on the cross (Luke 23:34)

Father, forgive them

First words of death (Luke 23:46)

Father, into your hands

Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus draws us into relationship

He is not a prayer answering machine

He wants to and will answer our prayer but first he will teach us about himself and teach us about ourselves.