I’ve been reading Thomas Brooks’ book on private prayer, The Secret Key to Heaven. The book is filled with much encouragement to pray.
As I went to sleep the other night, I was prompted to continue where Brooks left off, considering why Jesus prayed (and I don’t!). A few thoughts that occurred to me…
1) Jesus loved the Father. “…I love the Father…” (John 14:31). Jesus taught that our obedience is an indication of what we love (John 14:15). Therefore, Jesus’ own zeal to obey the Father was a telltale sign of His love for the Father: “…I always do what pleases Him…” (John 8:29). “…I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me…” (John 6:38).
It is self-evident that we are drawn to those we love. On Sunday mornings at church, at parties, at family gatherings, in any public space there are particular people to whom we are drawn to interact. Jesus was drawn to all kinds of people. Yet, He was drawn to the Father for great lengths of time in prayer. He went out early in the morning, even spending whole nights alone in prayer to the Father (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12).
If Jesus was drawn to the Father in a measure we are not, it is likely the case that He loves the Father in a measure we do not. If we would pray as Jesus prayed, we must love God as Jesus did. We should pray to that end!
2) Jesus knew that the Father loved Him. Jesus mentioned this so many times in the Gospel of John that the Father’s love for the Son proves to be a major theme. “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand” (John 3:35; Cf 10:17, 15:9; 17:23-26). All three Synoptic Gospels record Jesus’ baptism, at which the Father declared, “You are my beloved Son…” (Mark 1:11; Matt 3:17; Luke 3:22). Jesus was so sure of God’s love that He expected anyone from God to love Him also: “If God were your Father, you would love me…” (John 8:29).
Just as we are drawn to those we love, so also are we drawn to those who love us. There is safety with the ones who love us. There is rest with those who love us. We find provision with those who love us. Warmth and care is found there.
This certainly seems to have moved Jesus to pray. In the High Priestly Prayer of John 17, Jesus mentions the Father’s love for Himself three times in just four verses (17:23-26). We find in that instance not only that the Father’s love drew Jesus to pray, but also influenced what He prayed.
How closely and quickly might we draw near to God in prayer if we were as sensible of God’s love for us as Jesus was? Might it not be the case that regular meditation on God’s love for you would move you to approach Him with greater frequency and boldness?
3) Jesus knew His need for strength. This may be puzzling initially. How could the Second Person of the Trinity need strength? It seems clear that Christ fulfilled His work in the incarnation not immediately through the power of His deity but through the means available to Him in His humanity—including through the Word, prayer, and the Spirit (Luke 4:4; Mark 9:17-29; Acts 10:38). In other words, Jesus fulfilled His ministry by appealing to the same resources available to us, including prayer.
Consider that when tempted by the devil to turn rocks into bread in the wilderness, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:3-4). Jesus was not pretending to need the Father’s Word, nor was He suggesting that other men should live by the Word of God. Rather, He was succeeding where His forefathers had failed; He was trusting God for provision.
Sensible of His need for strength from God, it makes perfect sense then that He would go to the Father regularly in prayer. If Christ needed strength and it drove Him to prayer, ought we not just as surely feel our need and pray?
4) Jesus was confident of the efficacy of prayer. It’s one thing to recognize one’s need for God’s strength. It’s another thing to believe God will give it and so to ask for it. Jesus held this belief which is why He prayed and encouraged us to pray persistently—He was confident that the Father would answer (Luke 18:1-8).
Consider the occasion when the disciples were unable to cast a particularly strong demon out of a young boy (Mark 9). Jesus then cast it out seemingly effortlessly. The disciples later inquired, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:28-29). In other words, Jesus was able to cast out the demon because Jesus prayed about it.
Aware of His need for the Spirit’s strength and trusting in the Spirit to give it, Jesus prayed. To the extent that we do not cry out for the Lord’s help, to the extent that we are unaware of our need for the Spirit’s power, to the extent that we do not believe in the efficacy of prayer, we are unlike Jesus.
May we ponder the prayer life of Jesus, may we be helped by old prayer warriors like Thomas Brooks, and may we pray!
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