Learning To Listen

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1, NIV

THERE’S A STORY of a teacher in the early 1970s who taught children with various emotional disorders. He worked for a public school but sensed God wanted him to start praying for each of his students. When a student would crawl under their desk into the fetal position, the teacher would lift the child into his arms and pray silently over him or her that Christ would bring healing to their hurt. He would regularly walk around his classroom, doing his duties and praying in various ways. By the end of the school year, each child was integrated back into the regular classroom environment.^a

The children in that classroom were affected by the prayers of their faithful teacher. And it wasn’t as if this teacher was particularly special. He simply listened to God’s prompting and acted upon it. He sensed that God had a prayer project for him, and he followed God’s lead. Trusting God, following the Spirit’s prompting, and praying was God’s grace in his life. How amazing this looked on him.

Prayer. It can feel so very mysterious, difficult, interesting. But one thing I love about the journey of prayer is that it is just that: a journey. No one understands how to pray all of a sudden. It is something to learn, to practice. And by listening and talking to God, we can change the course of history.

I am greatly relieved to know that the disciples, who had been praying all their lives, asked Jesus how to pray. From being with Jesus, they realized they needed to learn again how to pray.

This gives me great comfort. God, the good Father, knows we are children who need to learn so many spiritual practices—from learning how to read His Word, living well in community, listening to Him, and caring for our souls and the souls of others. He is so gracious as we learn, and He delights when we come to Him.

But what about our prayers that go unanswered? We become disappointed and wrestle greatly with why one prayer seems to move the hand of God while another does not. We begin to wonder if praying matters at all. But may I encourage you?

The more we pray, the more we learn to listen. And as we start to hear God, we will learn to pray prayers in line with His heart. He will teach us what to pray. And prayers in line with God’s heart will be heard, will be fruitful, and will change the world around us.

GRACE REFLECTION: Take a moment and ask Jesus to teach you to pray. Open your hands and show that you are willing to be taught and ready to listen. “Jesus, teach me to pray. Align my heart with Yours and open my ears to hear from You. Amen.”