“Lord, teach us to pray,” are the words of Jesus’ disciples in Luke 11:1. But they can also be the words of every Christian who desires to connect with his Heavenly Father through life-giving prayer and the plea of Christian parents who desire to lead their children into a fuller, deeper relationship with God.
It is through prayer that we come to know our Father better. Through prayer we can unburden our hearts and receive His consolation. Through prayer, we understand the knowledge of His will, and learn to bend our stubborn, rebellious hearts. Through prayer, we confess our offenses against a Holy God, and receive His forgiveness and the strength to walk in holiness. It is through prayer that mere men can touch the throne of the Almighty God.
Yet prayer is often greatly neglected. Though this may be the result of a heart grown cold, t may simply be the result of disappointing experiences in prayer due to a misunderstanding of how to pray. For all who wish to grow in prayer, take heart from the following words.
Do not expect, when you trust Christ to bring you into a new, healthy prayer-life, that you will be able all at once to pray as easily and powerfully and joyfully as you fain would. But just bow quietly before God in your ignorance and weakness. That is the best and truest prayer, to put yourself before God just as you are. “We know not what to pray as we ought”; ignorance, difficulty, struggle marks our prayer all along. But, “the Spirit Himself, helpeth our infirmities.” How? “The Spirit” deeper down than our thoughts or feelings “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
—Andrew Murray From Into His Presence (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1997).
The Lord, Teach Us to Pray family devotional has been newly revised as part of a revision of the Lord, Teach Us to Pray curriculum that will be available in October. The revision features fresh design and an improved layout for a better teaching experience.
This 13-week family devotional guide provides six days of devotional ideas per week, plus ideas for a weekly Family Night Activity. Scripture references, a key verse, and key themes are provided at the start of each week to set the tone, along with a lesson summary and important “points to ponder.” Each day’s devotional portion includes scripture references and probing questions to deepen biblical understanding and provide personal application. Numerous prayer stories and other prayer tools complete the guide, making it a valuable prayer “tool” for any Christian family or individual. See sample.
