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| Detroit |
I am reading, slowly, through the Gospel of Luke. This morning I began in Luke 11:1:
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.
I can't get past this verse. It's enough for me.
The verse does not say:
One day Jesus thought about praying.
It doesn't read:
One day Jesus desired to pray, but didn't have time for it.
It's not:
One day Jesus read a book about praying.
Nor:
One day Jesus said "I believe in the power of prayer."
It does say:
One day Jesus was praying.
One day Jesus was actually doing it.
One day Jesus was engaged in praying.
One day Jesus, my Lord, my exemplar, my mentor, was spending considerable time talking with God.
One of his followers saw him doing this. This follower was so impressed that he wanted to do what Jesus was doing. Which was: communicating with the Maker of Heaven and Earth.
When Jesus finished dialoguing with God, the follower who desired to do the same said to Jesus, "Mentor, teach us to do what you just did."
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Everything I have to say about praying is in my book Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God.
