“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
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. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
(Matthew 6:5-13)
I don’t typically like to start these devotionals with such a lengthy reading, but I hope you made it through it. I would imagine that most of you were able to quote it as you were reading it, though I’m sure most of you had the words of the King James Version running through your head instead of these from the ESV. For the next several weeks, our devotionals will be on prayer. I pray that this study will benefit you and me alike.
For many Christians, prayer has become a habit attached to certain moments. We pray before meals, before bed, or during worship services. When life becomes difficult, we pray even more earnestly. While there is certainly nothing wrong with praying at these times, Jesus teaches us that prayer was never intended to be merely another religious routine.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned against two common misunderstandings about prayer. Some prayed publicly so others would notice how spiritual they appeared. Others believed that repeating the same words over and over would somehow make God more likely to listen. In both cases, the focus had shifted away from God and onto the person praying.
Jesus reminds us that prayer is something much deeper. It is a conversation with our heavenly Father. He already knows our needs before we ask (Matthew 6:8), yet He still invites us to come before Him with our prayers. Prayer is not about informing God of something He doesn’t know. It is about drawing near to Him in trust, dependence, and love.
This truth changes the way we pray. Instead of viewing prayer as an obligation to complete, we begin to see it as a relationship to enjoy. We don’t have to search for the perfect words or wonder if we’ve prayed long enough. Our Father desires sincere hearts more than polished speeches.
That doesn’t mean prayer should become casual or thoughtless. We approach God with reverence because He is holy, but we also approach Him with confidence because He is our Father. Jesus demonstrated both truths in the model prayer, teaching us to honor God’s name, seek His will, depend on Him daily, confess our sins, and trust Him for strength.
Prayer is far more than words spoken out of habit. It is one of God’s greatest invitations. It is his invitation for us to spend time with Him.
This Week’s Challenge
Choose one prayer you normally pray out of routine, maybe before a meal or before going to bed. Instead of rushing through familiar words, pause for a few minutes and talk to God as your Father. Thank Him, praise Him, share your concerns, and simply enjoy being in His presence.
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