"Lord, teach us to pray."

Have you ever asked that question? Asked Jesus, I mean.

Because it is a profound question to ask God how to pray...

...it is even more profound when we choose not to listen and learn from the response of Jesus.

Whether you are learning how to pray for the very first time or have been praying your whole life, there is so much to see and learn in The Lord's Prayer.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer even went so far as to say The Lord's Prayer is an entire summation of every prayer in all of scripture. I would take it one step further to say there is no prayer that isn't wrapped up in the words of The Lord's Prayer.

When Jesus, who is God, teaches us how to pray to God, then we should stop and listen and dissect what it is God is teaching us.

Even for those who have been praying for decades there is so much to see and learn from the prayers of scripture and see their fulfillment, breadth, and depth portrayed in the words of The Lord's Prayer.

For those who are learning to pray for the first time, the words of The Lord's Prayer are simple and there is beauty in the simplicity of what Jesus says we should be praying for and how to pray. Jesus teaches us that God doesn't need fancy words and long stretches of intense prayer...but an open and honest heart willing to give itself over to God's love.

While you may seek to learn how to pray or pray "more correctly," my hope is that you learn to fall in love more deeply with Jesus, the Psalms, and the prayers of those who have gone before you.