Matthew 6:5-15 (NIV)
[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 men. I tell you the truth, 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] Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
[13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.*’
[14] For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins
These are very familiar verses that we cut our teeth on but verse 6 stood out to me today because there is a promise that God rewards praying in secret. I tend to think that the power of agreeing together is more effective prayer but know that part of the reward of praying in secret is getting to know God better and developing our relationship with Him although the amplified says "your Father who sees in secret will reward you in the open".
ReplyDeleteDianne Clark
Dianne,
DeleteThank you for your thoughts on this. They really got me thinking about personal and corporate prayer. Is one more effective than the other? Since Jesus is our example, let me point out two things. He spend much time in isolated, personal, and very private prayer. And he prayed one of his most important prayers (John 17) with His disciples. So, both are effective. I think the real issue is not praying in our closet but the attitude of our hearts. The opposite of the closet is not merely in public but whether we are praying to be seen by men. So, in our corporate times of prayer, what we msut ask ourselves is: Are we praying to impress others or simply seeking the Lord? Does this make sense?
Yes, that is true. I just noticed that God promises a reward for private prayer and I don't think I ever saw that before.
DeleteDianne
Wow! I've known this for a while now, but this is truly the first time I saw the Kingdom of God is founded on the principle of forgiveness. I am not overlooking prayer, but look at what He expands on the most here. To experience the Kingdom in our lives, to see it unfold in our lives in an active way, we need to be a people who EASILY forgive!
ReplyDeletePrayers are being answered all around me ~ I am giving Praise! Thank You God!!!
ReplyDeleteHallelujah!!! God is so good to us. Praise His Name.
DeleteHaving studied the different words used in the bible for prayer, I found the word originally used here interesting. More so after reading the other posts.
ReplyDeleteThe word carries the idea of talking to God, but in the background it carries the aspect of worship. Often worship is paired with music, but to consider the Lord's prayer as worship gives it another depth.
"Do not keep on babbling..." A good reminder. How can I hear from God if I don't stop talking and take the time to listen? --Joy
ReplyDelete