After reading the scripture, telling the story and showing the story grid again. I say again because I have studied this passage and taught it many times.
As clear as day, there it was as I looked at my storyboard for Luke 11. In the moment when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them "to pray" Jesus provides in these eleven short verses the care of the whole person body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit.
1. In grid one, I show Jesus kneeling and praying. This is the physical model. Prayer engages our BODY.
2. In grid two, When Jesus teaches what to say He engages the mind. He provides the model for what to say. Prayer will engage the MIND. Jesus provides a process.
3. In grid three, Jesus tells a story. This is where He illustrates prayer must engage the HEART. Jesus provides us the reminder to have the passion to persist.
4. In grid four, we see Jesus illustrates that the SOUL must be engaged. Good soul talk will lead to faith as we ask, seek, and knock. Unless the soul believes and moves forward in the prayer of faith there will not be answers.
5. In the last grid, we see that Jesus shows us that the gift of the SPIRIT is given by the Father when we pray. We can trust God to bless us with His Spirit.
I was undone.
Of course, God would want the whole person engaged. So as I ponder the disciples asking Jesus to teach them to pray, I am blessed to see Jesus revealed the wholeness of prayer through engaging the body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit.
