By Miguel Lara

When you get on your knees to pray to God, what do you say? What do you ask for? How do you approach the Creator of the universe and the author of life when you want to communicate with him? Is there a model that one can follow?

We all follow patterns or models when we do things. Why? Because models make things easier to remember. Prayer is no exception to the rule. Patterns or models are designed to facilitate teaching. Jesus, in his role of teacher, left us with a model for prayer in Luke 11:1-4. 

Back to the Basics

Does this prayer model that Jesus taught his disciples mean that this is exactly how we should always pray? Although we could, the answer is no. This model was given more as a reference or as an outline in which we fill in our needs and convictions. We are free to enlarge it as we may decide when we pray. 

Nonetheless, as a model it is so simple in the way it offers petitions, but yet it covers all aspects in its requests. The beauty of this prayer is that it touches all of our needs and at the same time covers all of our sins. 

No Time to Pray?

Jesus not only took time to personally pray, but he also took the time to teach us how to pray. Prayer distinguishes us as a community of believers. It is one of the most important aspects that identify us as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Our modern society demands for our time more than ever before in history. When we think about today’s complex culture, we see the increasing use of devices to communicate with others and to obtain information instantaneously. 

Being always online goes against our foundations of Christian disciplines. One challenge we face in this day and time is remaining plugged in to this digital life and at the same time being able to practice our faith in a way that is consistent to what Jesus called us to—plugging in to God. 

We have no excuse for not making time to pray! We must make time to seek Jesus’ face, even when things are getting the most hectic.

Miguel Lara, a minister from Venezuela, is working on a Master of Divinity at Cincinnati Christian University. He and his wife, Alejandra, have three children, Andreina, Sabrina, and David Alejandro.