Chorlton Central Church

As Christians we believe that God hears prayer, and responds. But this does not make it a mechanical process of presenting a 'shopping list' of requests and waiting passively for our requests to be satisfied - some of Jesus' most heartfelt prayers were not granted.

Rather than a definition, here are some examples, taken from the Bible;

The Lord's Prayer

This prayer, recorded in both Mark's and Luke's gospels, was given by Jesus as an example when his followers asked for some advice on the subject. It starts with his advice on how NOT to pray!

'When you play, don't be like the play-actors. they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at street-corners so that people may see tham at it. Believe me, they have had all the reward they are going to get. But when you pray, go into your own room, shut the door and pray to your Father privately. Your Father who sees all private things will reward you. Ane when you pray don't rattle off long prayers like the pagans who think they will be heard because they use so many words.'

Jesus then continues ...

This prayer is known as 'The Lord's Prayer' and is used in most services in most Churches. It is also known as the 'Paternoster' from its first two words in the Latin translation.

'Pray then like this -
Our heavenly father, may your name be honoured;
May your kingdom come, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us each day the bread we need for the day,
Forgive us what we owe to you, as you have also forgiven those who owe anything to us.
Keep us clear of temptation, and save us from evil'

Jesus' prayer before his arrest

Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest - an event he anticipated and feared, knowing what would follow. He and his closest followers spent the night in a garden outside Jerusalem called Gethsemane. Jesus said to his disciples 'Sit down here while I pray.' He took with him Peter, James and John, and began to be horror-stricken and desperately depressed. 'My heart is breaking with a death-like grief', he told them. 'Stay here and keep watch'. Then he walked forward a little way and flung himself on the ground, praying that, if it were possible the hour might pass him by.

'Dear Father,' he said 'all things are possible to you. Let me not have to drink this cup! Yet it is not what I want but what you want.'

We assume that this prayer was overheard by one of Jesus' followers and recorded later.

Jesus was arrested a few hours later.

Not all prayers are answered as we might like - but we believe that in prayer we come closer to God, and that he suffers with us when things go badly. We pray as Jesus did, not to get our own way, but to share in God's way.

new page 18 September 2011