The Secret Praying – Mt 6:5-8

“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 others. Truly I tell you, 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.

Everything for show. Religious show offs. It’s not that it was wrong to pray in public, but their motivation was to be “seen.” That’s their only reward. That someone walked past and slapped them on the back. Their desire for respect was greater than their desire and thirst for God.

It’s interesting with prayer. When someone is deeply invested in the Lord in the secret place, we can tell. We can sense something on them that is of God. It’s also true, unfortunately, when we neglect prayer. It shows and is felt.

But Jesus goes on. He says when you pray to do so in the secret place. Pray to the Father. It is something private, holy and initmate. There is reward there. Not that we pray for reward. But there is blessing in our love for Him.

Also when we pray, no babbling over and over. If we get bored of that kind of stuff, don’t you think God does? Babbling won’t get you heard any more than just praying and talking to God. Many words are not the key. Relationship is the key.

The Lord knows what we need before we ask Him. And yet he still wants us to ask Him. Because he values our relationship with Him.