“And When You Pray"

“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.” (Matthew 6:7 ESV)

We often hear people praying and are “impressed” by their words and phrases. They are so eloquent, and, well, I guess, “religious.” However, it is not our religiosity that God wants to hear; He desires sincere hearts that worship and glorify Him in devotion.

Jesus spoke of this very thing in today’s verse. One may know scripture and quote it chapter and verse. They may know all the right phrases and theological words and yet have a heart of stone. It is one thing to believe in God, and another to be saved by God. This is something the lost cannot understand. I mean no offense, but there are ‘Christians,” and there are true Christians. Some believe in God, Christ, the Trinity, and yet believe in doctrines that lead them away from God. Most of these are works-based religions. The true Christian believes that they are saved according to scripture, by grace, through faith, in Christ, and all for the glory of God alone: no works, no Saints, no traditions, nothing but Christ alone.

When we pray our normal daily prayers to God, we pray with our hearts, out of devotion, and in the words our Savior gave us. We pray to glorify God for all of the grace and mercy in our lives. We pray for those around us because we have faith in God’s intercession in our lives. When we pray at a holiday dinner or a family get-together, pray what the Spirit puts on our hearts, not with overly dramatic prayer, but with honest, thankful words of praise.

Prayer is so very important to our Christian lives. It is our time with God when we tell Him our hearts, which He already knows, but still listens to. We pray for those who are sick and dying, and we ask for His intercession. Paul told us, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18) Many times, we will see prayers answered. Many times, we will see God’s will, which is something other than what our prayers ask. Yet, He is our God, and we love Him just the same.

Prayer strengthens us, and without it, we miss the most important part of our salvation: our ability to be reunited in a living relationship with God, one that relies on prayer. Prayer is our time to listen for God’s direction and to talk one-on-one with our maker. Jeremiah wrote, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (33:3) We gain wisdom through prayer.

We come to God in prayer because He listens. Jeremiah also wrote, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” (29:12) Knowing that God hears us can bring comfort and reassurance, affirming that our words matter to Him. No word to God is ever spoken in vain; He hears everything.

Christ came and died for our sins. During His life and ministry, He spoke of the importance of prayer. He modeled it for us, as He was always in prayer with the Father. Christ was crucified and died, and on the cross, He called out to God, praying for those who persecuted Him, and for the thief who came to believe hanging next to Him. He rose on the third day from the tomb, having died on that cross, and in doing so, opened the doors to heaven for all those who place their faith in Him alone, repenting their sins and following Him.

Do you know Christ as your Savior? Have you experienced the power of prayer in your life? If you do not know Christ as your Savior, seek Him now. There is no time to delay, for we never know if our next breath is our last.

If you have questions about salvation through Christ alone, reach out to us here at In Messiah Ministries. We can direct you to the scriptures that show God’s mercy and grace for all sinners who come to believe in the Risen Son of God.

Grace and Peace!