Lord, Teach us to Pray

Gospel Reflection for July 24, 2022

He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”

Luke 11:1

Being inconsistent with our prayer life is never good. But when we don’t place it as our number one priority, everything else around us will fall apart.

In today’s gospel, Jesus teaches us two very important lessons; cornerstones in fact that we should use as the foundation of our prayer life.

Be Consistent AND Persistent

First, we must be CONSISTENT.

We are consistent when we choose each day what time to pray and where.

When we make plans in advance with Jesus and don’t break them. We go to the same space, grab the same prayer book, and choose the same time each day to pray. This will teach us the joyful expectation of our Lord waiting for us. This will set us up for success in God’s Kingdom.

Second, we must be PERSISTENT.

God gives us the perfect prayer to pray, The Our Father. Be persistent in praying this prayer every day. Pray it slowly, stopping at every word like it is a stop on a long road trip. Pause, meditate and really take the words into your soul.

Father…

Even just calling God our Father is a prayer in itself.

Ask, seek and knock until the door of the Holy Spirit opens. Pray for the Lord to give you the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, the strength of the Holy Spirit, and the hope that the Holy Spirit brings.

When I am especially suffering, my go-to prayer is, Help me Holy Spirit!

I pray this in repetition over and over again. God has never failed to answer my desperate call and the door is always open to me.

So today if your prayer life is not your priority, God is calling you to a certain place and space to be with him. And if you do not have a literal certain space that’s ok, make room for him with a certain space in your heart. He’ll meet you there.