Lord, Teach Us to Pray

How did you learn to pray? When we stop to think about it, we likely come to this conclusion: loved ones showed us how to pray. We may have learned from them by praying with them, by asking questions about prayer, or by hearing sermons about prayer.

Jesus’ disciples wanted to learn how to pray. One day a follower of Jesus asked him, “Lord, teach us to pray . . .” (Luke 11:1). And Jesus responded with a brief, easy-to-learn prayer that has become known as the Lord’s Prayer. This beautiful prayer has become a favorite of Jesus’ followers throughout the centuries.

The Lord’s Prayer is a template for one of the most significant things we do as Christians: praying. When we pray, we acknowledge our total dependence on God as our heavenly Father, our thanksgiving to God, and our call to love and serve God in all the areas of our lives.

This month’s devotions look at prayer in general and the Lord’s Prayer in particular.

February’s author, Kurt Selles, serves as the director of ReFrame Ministries, which publishes these Today devotions. Kurt is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary and Vanderbilt University, and he previously served as director of the Global Center at Beeson Divinity School, where he also taught missions. He also served as a missionary in Taiwan and China. Kurt and his wife, Vicki, have three adult children.

We pray that this month’s focus on prayer will spark in each of us a deep commitment and passion for communicating with our heavenly Father and for loving and serving him every day. As you read the Today devotions this month, may you be refreshed, refocused, and renewed in God’s Word!

Begin with day one of Lord, Teach Us to Pray here or download the full PDF.