During the "sermon on the mount", Jesus prayed what we still call The Lord's Prayer. Two years later, somewhere in Judea, Jesus prayed it again, by request. These may be the only two times Jesus ever taught his disciples to pray. But they were hardly the only two times that He prayed.
How many times did Jesus pray that same prayer, during his ministry? It was certainly a timely prayer. It was tied to his message. It was his sincere hope and purpose in those years. Above all, it was a prayer for the Father to have his Kingdom, actually at hand. Personally, I bet Jesus prayed that prayer all the time - sometimes thought for thought - many times word for word.
And now I have a question. How many years had Jesus been praying that prayer before he called his disciples? If Jesus had any sense of his purpose before he left Nazareth, then that prayer - in some form - was probably born inside him during his "hidden years" in Nazareth. At least, I like to imagine it was.
I like to imagine the Lord praying that prayer sometimes in Nazareth... maybe a lot... not because he expected it to be answered immediately, but because there was nothing Jesus wanted more, on the Earth, than to see what his Father was wanting to see, on the Earth.
Jesus lived in Nazareth from 4 BC to 28/29 AD. One thing I do know he did - he talked to his Father. Sometimes, I bet, he prayed the same prayer we pray. I myself probably need to pray it more. Things in my neighborhood aren't quite like God's Kingdom... at least not yet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~What do you think? Did Jesus pray the Lord's Prayer in Nazareth? At what age? And did it sound at all different? Comments may be historical or devotional.