"Lord teach us to pray..."

...because we forgot how to pray.
...because we never learned how to pray.
...because we don't know how to pray to a God like you.
...because my prayers aren't working and I think I must be doing something wrong.

Why did the disciples ask that question? Perhaps the text is more explicit than I recall, but that is the impression I am left with. Why ask that question? As Jews raised by Jews around nothing but Jews, I would think that the disciples would be well informed on the method of prayer. Why would they need to be taught how to pray? Perhaps you can think of a reason I didn't include, but my go to is the first one I wrote. "Lord teach us to pray..." because I forgot how.

I agreed to do this blog in order to be challenged to think and the first thing I am challenged to think about is how often I pray. I must admit not often enough. It is like I forgot how to pray somewhere along the way. I quit saying the blessing before meals, I don't say my bedtime prayers like I was taught to as a child, and I certainly am not praying without ceasing as Paul suggests. I pray about the big stuff. You know the really important stuff:

"God help me keep my job in a crashing economy."
or
"God protect my children from the swine flu."

But I have forgotten to keep God in Constant Contact ( I wonder what his email address is). I use prayer like the "Batphone." (You remember the red phone in the mayor's office that connects directly to Batman day or night.) I have forgotten how to pray daily, and that is what I hear in the text "Lord teach us to pray..." because I forgot and I need you to remind me to pray daily. To pray without ceasing. To be always in relationship.