“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:5-6 NLT)
When I pray, I sometimes think of prayer as a secret passageway the Father has given just to me to have access to Him. It’s not, of course, because He gives prayer to anyone willing to access its majesty, power, and eternal influence to God’s glory, never our own.
My sense is prayer is given to be private and uninterrupted. Yes, of course, there’s a time for corporate prayer where we lift needs to the Lord together. But my heart today is for each of us who make the choice each moment to go through our day without prayer. John MacArthur made a frightening statement when he wrote: “To say ‘Lord, Lord’ and then disobey is the moral equivalent of a Judas kiss.”
Prayer is serious business with God and to avoid it or take it lightly is to forfeit, not only a right we have as a Jesus follower, but an obligation. It’s like being married or even in a business relationship but never speaking to our spouse or co-worker. Prayer is communication, not only with God, but for others. And, like any meaningful communication, it’s a two-way process.
To speak to God and not listen isn’t only wrong, on some levels it’s sinful. Why would I say that? Because we’re subject to the Lord’s ownership and Lordship. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 7:23: “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” Slaves do more listening than talking, but a good slave then obeys.
Obedience to God demands time in conversation with Him. How can we carry out instructions we haven’t heard? And how can we hear if we’re not intentionally listening? Reading God’s Word isn’t the only way we “hear” God speak, but it’s a major way. As a matter of fact, He will NEVER speak in contradiction to His Word.
Bob Sorge challenged me when he wrote: “Soul, ‘the wisest thing you’ll ever do in this life is to draw close to God and to seek him with all your heart.’” The Psalmist reminds us: “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; He looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” It sure seems that way sometimes, doesn’t it, but we must prevail in prayer!
We wrestle with the multiplied problems of life, but seldom, if ever, set aside specific time to spend alone with the Lord. And yes, of course, the Lord is always with us, but that’s not the point. The question is: “Are WE with HIM!” Saying prayers and praying are too often two very different things. Reciting the Lord’s prayer, while not wrong, the Lord instructed us to use it, is simply not enough.
Prayer must cost us something – time, energy, effort, devotion! Habitual prayer, prayer motivated by a heart of love, is willing to sacrifice to make the time to spend with our Savior. My conviction is, we don’t pray more because: (a) we don’t understand its value, but (b) we’re not willing to devote the effort.
When offered in the right attitude and with the right motive prayer will change us and change the people and/or situations for which we pray.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 