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A Model of Prayer

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)

Why should we pray? The simple answer is because Jesus told us to. Jesus himself was a model of prayer. He was always praying.

In the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus contemplated the horrors of the cross, He prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

On the cross, Jesus prayed for His enemies, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).

Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, we read that He lifted up His eyes to heaven and prayed (see John 11:41–42).

And before Jesus fed the 5,000, “He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes” (Matthew 14:19).

The Bible also tells us that mothers would bring their children to Jesus for Him to lay His hands on them and pray for them (see Matthew 19:13).

If Jesus felt the need to pray, then how much more should we feel it? Jesus was God, yet He prayed all the time, even through the night.

We are commanded to pray. We ought to pray. We should pray because Jesus told us to. But to make a point, let’s just say that prayer was the most painful thing you could do, like getting a root canal. If you’ve ever had one, you know it’s miserable. But because of what results from it, you believe it’s worth it. In the same way, if prayer were painful, you probably would pray anyway because you know it’s worth it.

Thankfully, prayer isn’t like a root canal. It isn’t difficult or painful. So let’s pray and never give up.