Week 2:
Matthew 6:5-18
5 “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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 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. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Reflection
Pray short prayers, pray honest prayers - and pray for heaven to come
What’s prayer for?
First, it’s for relationship with God as our father. What do you need for a good relationship? Honesty is a good place to start. Albert Einstein once said “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler”. That adage works well in prayer. Jesus might have said “When you pray, use as few words as possible, but no fewer”. My most effective prayer in the last few months was just three words.
We don’t impress God with our eloquence or erudition, nor by the length of our prayers. If we use religious language in our prayers, or if we pray long prayers, we should ask ourselves why? Don’t look too deep into the answer, as the answer you find may be pretty ugly. It’s about me. It’s about others, and how I can please or impress them. It’s not got much to do with God.
No eloquent or religious prayer, and no waffly prayer, is an honest prayer. Jesus calls it hypocrisy, playing a role.
There is only one good prayer, and that’s an honest prayer. Only when we’re honest are we being ourselves and not playing a role. God knows what we need and what we think before we ask, so we’re not going to kid him with eloquence or length. Pray short prayers. Pray in secret, not just in public. And pray honest prayers.
What’s prayer for?
Second, it’s to fulfil God’s will on earth. This was the creation mandate of humans - to fill the earth with God’s purpose, as his image bearers. But we handed that over to the devil when we sinned, so that earth is now filled with darkness and evil. When Jesus rescued us from evil on the cross, as we celebrate on Good Friday, he recommissioned us to act as his representatives to expand his light into the whole world - a counter-revolutionary movement to drive out the darkness. We do that with his authority and power, and we do that in prayer, inviting him into all our circumstances to bring his kingdom and his will in our lives - as it is in heaven.
In Revelation 5:8, in a cosmic cacophony of praise, we read about “golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people” (that’s you and me, in case you were wondering). God doesn't miss or forget a single prayer. Every prayer is stored up by his throne, and he will answer each and every one.
So this week, reflect on your prayers. Pray as short as possible (but no shorter), and aim to be totally honest - we’re only honest with people we trust and love, and we can love and trust our heavenly father. And pray for God’s kingdom and will in and through your life and circumstances.