Class 7 What is prayer?
In Luke 11, Jesus offers his disciples the Lord’s Prayer as a model for prayer. He emphasizes the importance of persistence in prayer, urging them to keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Jesus assures them of God’s willingness to respond to their prayers, stating, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). This reassurance underscores the faithfulness of God in answering the prayers of His children.
In Matthew 7, Jesus encourages his followers to trust in God’s goodness and provision through prayer. He assures them that God, their heavenly Father, delights in giving good gifts to those who ask Him. Jesus illustrates this point with a comforting analogy, stating, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11). This teaching emphasizes the loving nature of God and His desire to bless His children abundantly.
Overall, Jesus teaches in both passages that prayer is a vital aspect of the believer’s relationship with God. Through prayer, believers can express their needs and desires to God, trusting in His faithfulness and goodness to answer according to His will.