Hi
We’ve heard Jesus pray, and will hear Him again, but we’ve not intentionally listened to His views on praying recently. Let’s change that as we consider today’s Holy Nougat
“When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward.” Matthew 6:5 CEV
I hasten to note that Jesus did NOT say ‘Don’t pray’, nor did He say ‘Don’t pray IN the temple’; rather Jesus gave a comparison about attitudes and motives in public prayer. You see, prayer isn’t a pass to an elitist country club. No it’s not exclusive to us ‘Holy Rollers’, not in the least. Nor is it an oral exam overseen by God, the perfectionist Invigilator.
Prayer is, at its best, an intimate conversation between humanity and our Creator. And sometimes we have folks listening in.
And that’s when our motives, attitudes and actions count – because sometimes, it may seem as if we need to be ‘seen’ as the greatest public intercessor. But we have to keep the main thing the main thing, that is focusing on our conversation with God despite those listening in. Because even more than the others, God is listening; awaiting conversations with us, about every and any thing.
Just think about those regular conversations we have with people when we think they’re being fake. I don’t know for you, but I may tune out or not take the conversation seriously. I sometimes think that they don’t place much value on the conversation. God knows our hearts, and also understands our motives; but if we are faking, are we even taking our prayer seriously? And are we truly listening to what God is saying?
I think that is part of the reward; hearing God in our conversations. So if we’re faking or posturing, we run the risk of missing what God is saying to us. It’s already a challenge normally! So when we pray, especially in public spaces, I pray we take care to check ourselves and also to listen for God’s response as we speak to each other.
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
