And When You Pray

Mt. 6:5-7

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites...But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret...And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words..."

The first thing that I notice about this passage is that it says 'when you pray.' It is not if you pray but when. Matthew's teaching presupposes the fact that believers do pray. That thought alone is convicting for me. Even though I know that it is essential to my relationship with God and to the growth and effectiveness of my Christian life, I must admit that there were and still are times when I don't pray. How can that be? How can I choose not to pray when I have the privilege to communicate with God Himself? I can only thank God that as I grow in Him, prayer is so much more meaningful to me. I am learning how essential it is and what a huge dynamic it brings to my spiritual life.

Next I see three things about prayer. First, I must not pray like the hypocrites who only pray to be seen of men. Praying must be an honest, pouring out of my soul to God. Ps. 62:8 says "Trust in Him at all times...pour out your hearts before Him. " It has nothing to do with men, but everything to do with God! As I pour, I must be like the psalmist who said that "as the deer pants for the flowing waters, so pants my soul for thee." Prayer was the very life of the psalmist. Just as the deer could not live without water, so he and I cannot live without prayer. Prayerlessness makes me spiritually sick! Without prayer, I will become wasted and dehydrated. God designed prayer so I can express my dependence on Him. In this honest communication with God, I am in His presence, and my soul is at rest. What a glorious gift God has given me!

Secondly, when I pray I need to go to a room, shut the door, and pray in secret. Obviously, this says something about one-on-one time with God. But beyond that, I think that this passage says something about having a place to pray that is without distractions. I am to be alone and shut in so that I may pray completely focused. Here, I can speak with God without any interruptions. The verse says that God rewards this solitary prayer time with Him. How does He reward it? I think it is in the great blessing that results in the heart and the life. The reward is delighting in God Himself. One-on-one uninterrupted time with God is rich!

Thirdly, I am to pray without empty phrases. I think that this goes back to the honesty factor. When I am pouring out my soul, I am expressing the deep issues of my life, my concerns, my burdens, even things that I seldom talk about with others. These issues are so fraught with heart-rending emotions that concern over phraseology is long gone.

After reading these verses, I am convinced again of the deep meaning of prayer. Instead of something that is neglected because of the busyness of life, it should be the time that is never neglected. Prayer is my life with God. Busyness often depletes this life of God in me. Does the pace of my life prevent this type of prayer? Am I willing to spend concentrated time in the closet with God pouring out my heart to Him? Do I really act like I believe that prayer is my life with God?

Father,

I so want to be with You in prayer. Help me to recognize and rid myself of the pull of the flesh that prevents this in my life. Flood my life with rich realities of prayer.

In Jesus name,

Amen