Jesus’ Prayer for Disciples

"And now I am no longer in the world,

but they are in the world,

and I am coming to you.

Holy Father, protect them in your name

that you have given me,

so that they may be one, as we are one."

( from John 17:1-11)

My prayer life began with this simple bedtime prayer:

    Now I lay me down to sleep,
    I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
    Angels watch me through the night,
    And wake me with the morning light.

    Amen.

My journey continued as I learned the Lord's Prayer and finally the Church taught me the Collect for Purity.

My basic conviction about prayer is this:

God hears prayers: God answers prayers: in God's way: in God's time.

For example, my daily prayer for our church, based on Psalm 126:4 is, "Restore her fortunes, O Lord, like the waters of the Negeb".

I know God hears that prayer and answers it.

I don't know God's way. 

What will restored fortunes be? More members? New members? None of these? Something I can't contemplate or see?

I don't know God's time.

Since God is eternal, are the fortunes restored? Being restored? Restored in an unseen future?

It seems to me that, finally, seeing an answer may not be God's way.

Unanswered prayers, therefore, may simply be recognized answers.

Rather, I feel faithfulness in prayer is God's way. 

I think this is especially true as I look at the world around me and see a its' brokenness and suffering. 

Jesus' prayer for disciples encourages me because I am confident God is answering it.

Just as God's answer to Jesus' prayer is a maturing in my prayer life, so it can be for others.

And so, I pray daily, in Jesus' name, that God continues to help my prayers and the prayers of others mature to include all situations of pain and brokenness.

Think about it: What is your greatest challenge in nurturing your prayer life as a follower of Jesus today??