The Heart of Prayer.
We don’t pray for human praise, to manipulate, or to inform God. Prayer is the path to relationship with our perfect Father.
The Christian Scriptures convey numerous awe-inspiring claims about God. For example, Revelation 9:6 asserts that God is all-mighty, while Psalm 139 illustrates God's all-knowing nature. Jeremiah 23:24 emphasizes God's constant presence with humanity, and Psalm 103:19 declares God's sovereignty. Additionally, Deuteronomy 33:27 describes God as eternal. These examples merely scratch the surface of the vast array of awe-inspiring claims about God found in the Bible.
While it may be challenging to determine the single most significant attribute of God, I can confidently express which one personally astonishes me the most, even after more than 36 years of reading the Bible and walking with God.
I am still in awe of the fact that God desires deep and meaningful relationships with each one of us.
Just think about it: the eternal, transcendent, and sovereign Creator, Savior, and Sustainer of the universe longs for an authentic relationship with you. We see this desire through Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28, where He invites weary disciples, like you and me, by saying, "Come to me."
Consider the implications of this truth:
Even if you were not picked for the team in P.E. growing up…
Even if you have not been welcomed by the social circle you desire…
Even if you have not have been hired by the employer of your dreams…
Even if you have not been wanted by someone you loved…
The God who is bigger and better than all of that, longs for an intimate relationship with you!
In light of this, I would argue that prayer is the single most significant spiritual practice.
The reason for my belief is that prayer, at its essence, is communication with God, and all relationships are built through communication. The more openly and honestly we share our lives with another, the deeper the relationship grows. Therefore, there simply cannot be a real relationship with God apart from prayer. Prayer is certainly not the only significant practice, but without it, the others won't be effective.
Unfortunately, prayer is also riddled with problems. For instance, it can be challenging to talk to someone whom we cannot see physically or hear audibly. Furthermore, we don't always know what to pray for or how to pray. Sometimes, due to our busy lives, we neglect to prioritize prayer. Additionally, we can sometimes misconstrue the purpose of prayer. As you may have already experienced, prayer can be fraught with difficulties, and as a result, we often don't engage in prayer to the depth that God invites us to.
The good news is that we are not left without help. The disciples of Jesus have always needed help with prayer. In Luke 11, after listening to Jesus pray, one of His disciples humbly asks, "Lord, teach us to pray..." This request is significant because nowhere in the Gospel accounts do the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to preach, heal, lead, or work miracles. But something about the way Jesus talked with the Father compelled them to think, "We must learn to pray like that.”
So let’s join the first disciples and listen in on Jesus’ response. Let’s invite Him to infuse our black and white prayers with endless color. Let’s start by opening ourselves to what Jesus describes as the true heart of prayer.
As we drop into the middle of this body of teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lays out his over-arching premise in Matthew 6v1 and then applies in the context of three spiritual practices: giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting. We’re going to start with three faulty reasons to pray and then finally, the heart of prayer according to Jesus. Here’s the first faulty reason to pray:
1. We don’t pray for human praise.
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven…Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. -- Matthew 6:1, 5-6 (CSB)
The first thing I want you to notice is the urgency of the warning in verse 1. Jesus says, “Be careful…” This indicates that what He is about to say requires our immediate attention. It is not something to be taken lightly. It holds great importance, is urgent, and relates to the underlying motive behind our actions. Furthermore, Jesus emphasizes this point by stating, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.” Here, the phrase "in front of" can be translated to mean "for the purpose of." Therefore, it is important to understand that Jesus is not concerned about others observing our righteous living. In fact, He previously stated, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The real issue Jesus addresses is the desire to be seen by others in order to be perceived as righteous.
Jesus then goes on to apply this warning in the context of prayer.
If you are unfamiliar, the Jewish people adhered to a rhythm of three prescribed prayer times each day: once in the morning, again in the afternoon, and a final time in the evening. This practice required stopping at the designated hours, regardless of location or ongoing activities, to engage in prayer. On one hand, this routine was highly commendable, and it would be beneficial for us to reflect on what it would mean to incorporate similar recurring prayer times into our daily lives.
However, there was a drawback to this system, particularly in relation to the prescribed mid-day prayer time. In this passage, Jesus refers to "hypocrites" who would strategically organize their day to position themselves in highly visible public settings, purposefully making a spectacle while partaking in apparently righteous practices. The term "hypocrite" originates from the Greek word used for actors who, as you know, assume a role and speak words for dramatic effect rather than to convey truth. Jesus suggests that when we position ourselves in order to be seen as righteous, we resemble these actors playing a part
One way this manifests within our own culture is through the practice of broadcasting our spirituality on social media. I must confess that I have personally engaged in this behavior in the past. On occasion, I have posted pictures showcasing my Bible, journal, and the book I happened to be reading, accompanied by captions emphasizing my commitment to spending quality time with God during the early hours of the day. However, if I reflect on my intention in those moments, I must confess that my motivations were not entirely righteous.
On one hand, my love for Jesus compels me to openly discuss my faith, sharing my experiences and encouraging others to pursue a similar devotion. I genuinely desire to inspire others and provide them with a positive example to follow. On the other hand, I must acknowledge the presence of a self-serving aspect within me, yearning for recognition and validation. There exists a part of me that desires to impress others or be perceived as a spiritually enlightened individual simply because I have dedicated time to be with God. While social media may not be the medium you personally employ, I believe it is an innate desire for us all to be regarded highly by those around us.
In light of this tendency, Jesus issues a sobering warning: Pursuing the praise of others through our prayer robs us of any heavenly reward. It is crucial to remember that this is the central message Jesus seeks to convey. Any righteousness we exhibit with the intention of receiving the praise of others will not be rewarded. Instead, Jesus instructs us to engage in prayer privately, laboring to maintain a personal and intimate connection solely between ourselves and God.
2. We don’t pray to manipulate God.
When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. -- Matthew 6:7 (CSB)
Next, Jesus addresses the fallacy that suggests we can control God's response to our prayers solely by the words we use. In modern paganism and various world religions, it is common to utilize practices such as repetitive chanting, recitation of incantations, or rote prayers with the belief that the quantity of repetition will influence the response from the deity being prayed to. It is important to note that there is nothing inherently wrong with employing pre-written prayers or reciting the Lord's Prayer multiple times a day. The issue lies in the underlying motive behind these actions.
In truth, there are instances where our prayers resemble the persistent pleas of children to their parents. Every parent understands the experience of giving in to a child's incessantly repeated requests to do something, go somewhere, or possess something. This still occurs in our household when it comes to video games. During school breaks, once lunch is over, the begging begins. "Can we play games? Can we play games? Can we play games?" At a certain point, you reach a moment of thinking, "You can do anything just to make this stop.”
If we're not careful, we can fall into the trap of praying with the belief that merely uttering certain words repeatedly will make God more inclined to grant our requests. Alternatively, we may mistakenly think that lengthy and eloquent prayers carry more righteousness compared to simple and concise ones. However, Jesus reminds us that God is not a capricious deity whom we need to pester for attention. Rather, He is a kind and generous Father who genuinely desires to help us.
The issue at hand is not about the length or recurrence of prayers. We learn from Luke 6:12 that Jesus prayed throughout the entire night, and in Luke 18:1, He instructed His disciples to pray persistently without growing weary. In Matthew 26:39-44, Jesus repeated the same prayer three times. Therefore, the problem lies not in the duration or repetition of our prayers, but rather in our motives. A few words offered sincerely in prayer surpass hours of empty utterances. Do not attempt to pray in a manner that seems elaborate or sophisticated; simply pray as you would speak to anyone else. Avoid trying to impress God with flowery language. Instead, approach Him in the same straightforward manner you would use when conversing with a friend.
3. We don’t pray to inform God.
Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him. -- Matthew 6:8 (CSB)
I can keep this point relatively short. Because God is all-knowing, we never pray to inform Him of something He doesn't already know. Sometimes, when life is painful, we may wonder, 'Is God not paying attention? Does He not understand how hard this is and how deeply I'm hurting?' So we pray as though we're looping Him in. However, the truth is that He already knows everything. That's what 'all-knowing' means. The beauty of this is that no one will ever understand us better than God. He understands us more than we understand ourselves.
All of this brings us to one big question: If we don’t pray for human praise, to manipulate, or to inform God, then what is the point? Here’s the answer:
Prayer is the path to relationship with our perfect Father.
We pray in order to develop a deeper understanding of God. As we learn to pray according to the teachings of Jesus, something incredible unfolds. We gain a clearer insight into His heart and His divine will. We establish a more personal connection with His provision. We experience a profound sense of His forgiveness. We also tangibly feel His protective presence.
In essence, our perception of prayer transforms from being an anxious ritual to becoming an intimate relationship. Prayer is the path to relationship with our perfect Father.
EXPERIENTIAL.
Each week in this series, I will provide you with a specific question related to the teachings of Jesus, designed to infuse your prayers with more “color.” The question for this week is as follows:
“Abba, where are you inviting me to think differently about prayer?”
Find a quiet and secluded space, and bring this question before God. Ask Him, and listen for His response. Additionally, reflect on your current prayer practices and share them with Him. Our intention is to shift our perspective on prayer, seeing it not as a means to impress or manipulate God, nor merely to inform Him, but rather as a pathway to deepening our relationship with Him.
An easy way to engage…
If you were to describe why you pray in one word, what would it be?
Comment below! I look forward to hearing from you!
I love your article and it has convicted me about social media. I often use social media wrongly to show off my piety but I do this sometimes when praying with others too. I have stopped praying with others because of this and was wondering if you have any articles about how to pray in public.