“Lord, teach us to pray.”
The men who urged Jesus to educate them about prayer weren’t immature or novices. Each of them had prayed—in penitence; for safety; for a good night’s catch—as part of a life story that led them to careers in fishing, tax collecting, and even political activism. But they had heard from Jesus—from time in close with Jesus—a whole new way of praying, one that began with an entirely new view of God. Gone was the angry, frowning deity of their imaginations, the God who was always disappointed with them. For they had heard their Master call this God His “Father”—even “Daddy.” The grace they found in Jesus opened up a whole new way to pray. And they were hungry to know more, learn more, pray more. Grace made them passionate about prayer. So it will be with us. When we discover what has always been true—that we are loved and held as closely as a parent holds us; that we were truly, eagerly embraced before we had a righteous thought—we unclench our bodies and our minds. Our prayer becomes an easy, reverent conversation warmed by love, and all our fears diminish. The Father who loved this world so much that He gave Jesus to us (John 3:16) rejoices when we trust Him, welcome Him, and tell Him everything. Grace leads us first to gratitude, and gratitude to prayer. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott
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Bill Knott's GraceNotes: FINDING COMMUNITY (June 04, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: NO OTHER GOSPEL (May 28, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: PROOF OF LIFE (May 21, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: HELD BY GRACE (May 14, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: WHAT CAN WASH AWAY MY SIN? (May 07, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: FORGIVENESS ON A STRING (April 30, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: THE GROWING SEASON (April 23, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: THE CONFIDENCE OF GOD (April 16, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: NO TRAVELING ALONE (April 09, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: HAIL THE DAY (April 02, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: UNBROKEN LOVE (March 26, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: NOT FOR SALE (March 19, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: THE HOUSE THAT GRACE BUILDS (March 12. 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: A NEW ECONOMY (March 05, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: THE FLOWERING OF GRACE (February 26, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: GETTING WHAT WE DON’T DESERVE (February 19, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: MANNA IN OUR WILDERNESS (February12, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: ASSUMED IDENTITY (February 05, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: WHY GRACE MAKES US UNCOMFORTABLE (January 29, 2021)
Bill Knott's GraceNotes: REASSURING RHYTHMS (January 22, 2021)
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