Pray Like This

The Lord’s Prayer. It’s familiar, often quoted, even memorized.

A recent and slow read stopped me in my tracks recently. Let’s visit Matthew 6 for a few minutes …

Jesus is the one who is speaking and addresses the topic of giving:

“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (verses 3-4, NASB)

In addressing the topic of prayer, Jesus says:

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (verses 5-6, NASB)

It was the concept of doing things privately, “in secret”, which stood out … give to the poor without blowing your own horn; pray alone where no one hears your words.

So often the large givers are recognized, and we admire those who pray out loud beautifully, poignantly, using words which move our hearts. And those both have their place and value.

But … God sees, and knows, and values that which we do in secret.

Before leading them in prayer, Jesus makes one more statement:

“So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (verse 8, NASB)

There is an intimacy our God longs to have with us. It is a precious one on one relationship, and it begins with prayer.

All that we do should come from a desire to serve and honor God. Our motives should not be for gaining favor or recognition. And yet, our humanness can get in the way and skew our motives so easily.

Jesus knows this and gives us the model, a pattern for prayer.