What Jesus Prayed

Everyday with God

What Jesus Prayed
One way we can learn to pray is by looking at the prayer life of Jesus. Although the Gospels don’t provide a detailed biography of Christ, they do offer captivating glimpses into his prayer life. First, however, it will be helpful to answer the question, 'Why did Jesus pray?' This is sometimes puzzling for Christians. After all, if Jesus is God, why did Christ need to pray? There are at least three reasons that help explain why Jesus prayed.
 
First, Jesus prayed as an example to his followers. This is a pattern we continue to learn from. It's interesting that only one of Jesus' disciples ask him for teaching on prayer. We observe Jesus praying when he was alone, at his baptism, during healings, before feeding the 5,000 and frequently asking God to glorify his name.
 
Another reason Jesus prayed relates to the Incarnation. As he walked on earth, he embodied both divine and human natures. From his human nature, it was common for a Jew such as Christ, to pray.
 
Third, the Trinity would include communication between its members. As God the Son, Jesus could pray to God the Father. The prayers of Jesus display the relationship of oneness between the members of the Godhead.
 
Studying Jesus' examples of prayer can teach us how he prayed, why he prayed and what he prayed for. On Thursday, we'll look at the most well-known of Jesus' prayers, the Lord's Prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-13.
Linda Miller | Ministry Development