Prayer, the essential, made simpler…
When you mention the word prayer do you immediately say to yourself, “I know I don’t pray enough and I should be praying more?” I believe one of the main reasons why people struggle to pray is that they have made the very act of prayer too difficult and into something it was never really meant to be.
In Matthew’s gospel Jesus gives us some beautiful incites on how to pray, and not only how to pray but how to be effective in our praying.
Mat 6:7 “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Mat 6:8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
The fact that a request is repeated does not make it a vain repetition. Both Jesus and Paul repeated their prayers at different times. A prayer only becomes a vain repetition if it is simply numerous empty words lacking a sincere heart behind them and the willing obedience to really know God’s will and to do it!
The reciting of memorized prayers, is like singing the times tables when we were learning maths at school as children, it’s vain repetition and certainly not prayer.
In addition, many people think that the length or loudness of a prayer makes it more “spiritual”. Not so.
Tonight or tomorrow morning, or even on your way to school or work, try simply talking to God just like you would talk to another person.
However, in our praying (talking) to God, let us have in our minds and our hearts, the knowledge and reverence that we are indeed talking to our Heavenly Father.
So our praying, (our talking) is with the simplicity of our everyday words but spoken with an attitude of respect, love and fear.
You will find praying easier and you will also find yourself praying more.
1Sa 12:23 “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way…..
1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing…….