Less is more

Hello Bride of Christ,

Help!

Save me!

Short but impactful cries. When we hear such outcries, we pause to consider what tragedy awaits us. When cried out by a loved one we turn and run to action. Not much needs to be said for our hearts to be drawn to compassion and moved into resolution mode. If found on the crying out end, we too hope no one needs much more said for we find ourselves pressed for time or too muddled to even speak further. Oh, how our Savior can relate!

As Jesus lived out His days walking upon the earth, He taught His disciples many things. However, there is one teaching the disciples initiated with Jesus. How to pray. After living in the shadows of Jesus, learning through sermons and parables there was one common thread the disciples witness and wanted to learn more about. This thing called prayer, which they often found Jesus doing at varies times throughout the day. When the disciples could not locate Jesus, sure enough He was found doing what He often did, praying.

Although Jesus used the model prayer to teach His disciples how to pray, let us look at live examples of when we see Jesus praying to see it in action. Jesus prayed for all sorts of things! His prayers were short and filled with thanksgiving.

During one of His teachings to five thousand people He found Himself trying to provide lunch to the multitude with only five loaves and two fish in His possession. However, He received what He had with gratitude for it is penned, “He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of fragments that remained.” (Matthew 14:19-20) Jesus thanked God for what He had. Short prayer of thanksgiving. Result? God multiplied the provisions. This was not uncommon, for a similar account takes place with four thousand people.

Yet again it is recorded, “And He (Jesus) took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them, and they set them before the multitude. They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.” (Mark 8: 6-8) Jesus modeled once again a short prayer of thanksgiving resulting in leftovers.

Thank you!

Short and simple statement. Yet, it contained the power to produce abundance. Abundance that had to be placed in multiple baskets!

Jesus incorporated gratitude in all His prayers. Even while grieving the loss of His dear friend Lazarus Jesus prays, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” (John 11:41 -42) Again a short prayer of gratitude results in life, for as the account concludes, Lazarus rises out of the tomb!

Short prayers. Demonstrating less is more.

We fast forward to the garden of Gethsemane to find our Savior on bended knee uttering yet again a short prayer, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26: 42)  Or as penned in Luke the same prayer, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) This short sentence prayer is the utterance of submission to God. Many words were not needed to reveal Jesus’ heart to His Father.

Bride of Christ, the same is true for us when it comes to prayer. Our prayers need not be long. Our prayers do not have to be filled with big swelling words. Our prayers do not have to hide our heart struggles with God’s way or plan. As Jesus modeled praying short prayers to His Father that yield results, He also illustrated for us His response to short prayers. For in Mark 9:29 when a father honestly cried out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Jesus turned and healed the father’s son! When Jesus walked through the midst of Samaria and Galilee and ten men who were lepers lifted up their voices and cried out a short prayer, “Jesus Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:13) He saw them. He cleansed them. Might we learn from these examples and return as the one leper out of ten and pray a short prayer. A short prayer of gratitude. For when we do, He will surely turn to you and say, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke17:19)