3 Lessons From The Prayer Life Of Jesus
Some Reasons Why Jesus Prayed And We Should Too
Can you imagine what it must have been like to hear Jesus pray? Just stop and think about that for a moment.
The thought of Jesus praying is actually quite hard for us to comprehend. It pushes the limits of our minds to consider Jesus in prayer to God. After all, Jesus is God! So when Jesus prayed, he was God talking to God. At the same time, though, Jesus was also fully human! So when Jesus prayed to God, he was also a man reaching out to his God in prayer. This thought is both challenging and fascinating.
The fact that Jesus prayed, though, conveys the importance of a healthy prayer relationship with God. Prayer was mightily important to Jesus, and a mere cursory study of the Gospel accounts will find Jesus in prayer on multiple occasions. On a specific occasion, Jesus even told his disciples “a parable to the effect that they ought to always pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Jesus spent time teaching his followers to pray, but he also modeled a thriving prayer life before them. No wonder the disciples once asked, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).
If Jesus valued prayer, then certainly we should too. To be honest, though, prayer can be extremely challenging. It can be hard to have a conversation with God. After all, we can’t see him, and he’s not going to answer us audibly. Furthermore, it can be a real challenge to actually articulate the feelings of our heart, to somehow put into words what we feel on the inside. We often struggle with our own weakness and human limitations when we pray. That’s why Paul said, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26 ESV). Prayer is a wonderful blessing, but it can also be a real challenge. We could all stand to pray better!
Thankfully, I believe there are some wonderful lessons to be learned when we join Jesus in prayer. Jesus is our greatest example, and our prayer life will be radically improved if we can learn to pray like Jesus. So let’s consider three of the reasons why Jesus prayed, reasons why we ought to pray too.
Jesus prayed because he enjoyed it.
As already noted, the four Gospel accounts in our New Testament are littered with moments when Jesus went to the Father in prayer. As stated by the inspired physician, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Interestingly, both the beginning and end of the Savior’s ministry can be marked by prayer. According to Luke 3:21, Jesus prayed following his baptism by John. Then, at least three of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross were prayers to God (cf. Luke 23:34; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:46). In between these two climatic moments—his baptism and crucifixion—Jesus prayed dozens of other times throughout his ministry. Prayer was a privilege for Jesus, and he counted it a blessing to be able to talk to his Father.
What about us? It’s only natural to talk to someone if you love them. Can you imagine going days without talking to your spouse? It’s agonizing to be away from your children or grandchildren and not be able to talk with them. If you’ve lost a parent, then you know the longing to have a conversation with them again. We talk to those we love, and it deeply hurts to not be able to communicate with our loved ones. We should enjoy praying to God if we deeply love him. How much do you enjoy talking to God? You can be sure God deeply loves you, and he longs to hear your thoughts, desires, and prayers.
Jesus prayed because he loves people.
There were moments when Jesus retreated to quiet solitude to meet his father in prayer, but there were also times when Jesus would pray with and for others. For example, Jesus once “took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray” (Luke 9:28). Aside from the incredible honor of witnessing Jesus become transfigured before them, these disciples got the chance to pray with the Savior on the mountain. In addition to praying with his disciples, Jesus once allowed little children to be “brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray” (Matthew 19:13). Many parents pray for their children, but these blessed parents were able to witness Jesus hold and pray for their children. Furthermore, John 17 is one of the greatest prayers Jesus ever prayed, and this prayer finds God’s son praying for himself, his apostles, and disciples of all generations. Examples like these remind us that Jesus felt joy in praying for others. Even now, Jesus sits enthroned by God’s right hand “to make intercession” for the saved (Hebrews 7:25).
Similarly, we ought to find joy in praying for others. In Acts 1:14, we find the Lord’s apostles gathered for prayer in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell upon them. As we continue reading in the book of Acts, we regularly find the early church coming together for prayer and praying for one another (cf. Acts 2:42; 4:29-31; 12:5; 13:2-3; 16:25). Prayer brings us closer to God, but prayer also knits our hearts closer together in love. So find ways to pray more specifically for others. Create more times and opportunities to pray with your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Jesus prayed because he needed strength.
Jesus lived his life with the aim “not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). Doing the will of the Father, though, was not always easy. The Lord’s ministry was often rife with challenges, hardships, and discouragements. Sometimes Jesus had to make difficult decisions, interact with difficult people, preach some difficult sayings, and engage in difficult activities. Yet the Savior always found the strength he needed to meet these tasks by going to the Father in prayer. For instance, right before choosing the twelve apostles, Jesus went off by himself and prayed (see Luke 6:12). Choosing his ambassadors was a weighty decision, and Jesus sought the Father’s strength and blessing in the process. Furthermore, Jesus fervently prayed on the night of his betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf. Matthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-48). The Lord was about to endure his suffering at Calvary, but he first found the strength he needed in prayer at Gethsemane. Jesus prayed because he needed God’s help to do difficult things.
Our lives can be difficult too. Life often pitches us curveballs, challenges, and situations we feel ill-equipped to handle. We often must make decisions that test our faith and play with our emotions. Sometimes we have to do difficult things or interact with difficult people. We often lack the wisdom and the wherewithal we need in such situations. Yet we can always go to God in prayer, lay our problems and challenges at his feet, and find strength in the grace he provides. The Lord says, “My grace is sufficient for you“ (2 Corinthians 12:9).
In closing, it’s noteworthy to remember that nobody has ever possessed a closer relationship with God than Jesus. The Lord’s prayer life was certainly a large factor in the intimacy he shared with the Father. A strong prayer life is a must if you desire a healthy relationship with God. So if you are feeling distant from God, then try praying. If you want to get closer to God, then pray more and pray better. If you want to be closer to your brothers and sisters in Christ, then pray with them and for them. If you’re searching for strength to carry on, then pray. If you want to be more like Jesus, then learn to pray like Jesus.