As I look back over my walk with Christ, it seems that there are certain themes that go with each season of life. I remember the first season was surrender...wow...that seems to be an ongoing thing! LOL. Then came grace and forgiveness. Accepting the Lord as my heavenly Father. Obedience. Legalism/Performance vs. Relationship and now Prayer!
Does not seem to matter what is going on in my life, it all comes back to prayer. Prayer for praising Him. Prayer for begging His strength. Prayer for wisdom. Prayer for others. Prayer for closeness and intimacy. Prayer for battle. Prayer for joy. Prayer for everything!!
It warms my heart to be able to look back over my journal entries over the years and see the way the Lord has shaped my prayers. Once single-focused - on myself and whatever the chaos of the day, now diverse - with praise and petitions and tender conversations with my Beloved. Prayer has taken me on a journey with Jesus I could never have forseen.
So I wanted to share something I read this morning. Matthew 6:5-8
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
I hate to cut this passage short, so perhaps I'll have to do a part 2 blog for the rest of it. But let's look at this passage and I'll share with you a few treasures I have found.
1) And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
So when we pray, it's meant to be an intimate communication between us and the Lord. There is nothing of benefit to us, except perhaps the praise of onlookers, when we pray in public just for the sake of hearing ourselves speak. Notice it specifically addresses our motives. If all we want is to appear holy or righteous or somehow more "spiritual" because of our prayers, then that's all we get - appearance. Nothing beyond the superficial.
2) But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then you Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Yet, the Lord does not just tell us what not to do, He gives us the way we should go! Here the Lord shows us the intimacy he intended for prayer...the benefits of remembering the relationship of true disciples over the religion of rote pharisses. Notice, it mentions that our Father is unseen. An obvious thing, but mentioned, I think because we need a reminder of the faith required for true communication with the Lord. It is by faith that we can talk to and hear from our Heavenly Father who is unseen! And what a blessing it is to do so!!
3) And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
I do not know about you, but I have had the inclination at times to keep on and keep on thinking that if I say it enough, the Lord will grant whatever I'm asking for. But the thing this scripture teaches me about His character is that 1) He is not impressed by mere words and 2) He already knows what we need and as a perfect Father already knows what He will and won't give us because His will for us is as perfectas he is!
Application? We pray in an attitude of intimate reverence. We keep it simple. And there is great reward in the relationship we develop with the Lord. This is what I've experienced in my walk with Christ and I LOVE IT!!
I hope there is some treasure in these verses you have found and that you'll be encouraged in your own prayer life with Jesus. He does answer prayers and He loves to be intimate with us! Won't you go to your quiet place and have a conversation with Him today? I pray you do!!
Blessings to each of you! ~Shannon
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