Matthew 6:5-8 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
In yesterday’s lesson, we were instructed to do good deeds in a manner that gives honor to God. Today, we see that we are to pray in that same manner. Just like doing good deeds, praying in a manner that we think will impress others is not truly prayer. It becomes self-serving and hypocritical.
This is not an injunction against praying in public, per se. We regularly ask others to pray audibly during a worship service or to return our thanks at a meal. These prayers are, for the most part, sincere and often very moving. The instruction we are being given today is not about praying out loud but about praying to put on an act that we think will garner us an elevated standing in the eyes of others.
Even when we are called on to pray audibly before a congregation, our attention should be focused on God. The communication of prayer is directly between us and our Father. It is very possible to be praying in a public setting and find yourself alone with God as everything else fades into the background. However, this lesson also teaches us that no one else has to know that we are praying.
Many feel the need to bow down on their knees to pray as a sign of humility. If the Holy Spirit leads you to kneel, then do so. But having a humble form physically does not necessarily mean that we are truly humble. We must recognize at the core of our being that we are in the presence of the One who spoke the world into existence and that He hears our prayers.
Dear ones, our prayers do not have to be full of fancy expressions or go on for a long time. When expressed from the heart, “LORD, HELP ME,” is one of the most beautiful prayers there is. The Lord knows our needs before we ask. But isn’t it wonderful that He has opened a door of communication with Him about our every concern? Let us not forget that “THANK YOU, LORD,” is also a good and proper prayer!