Conversations with God...blah, blah, blah- Matthew 6:7-8

Photo by Flickr user evan courtney

 

"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

- Matthew 6:7-8

"Guide, guard, and direct us"

"Be with the speaker of the hour"

"Bless the hands that prepared this food"

"Bless this food to our bodies and our bodies to your service"
"Ready recollection"

"We pray that everything has been done in accordance with your will."

"Let us take this cup/bread in a manner worthy of you."
"Let us give as we have been prospered"

You could probably add several to this list. In fact, I don't even have to tell you what the list is of...you already know what it is.

I won't pretend to know nearly enough about prayer to feel confident writing about it. However, Jesus addressed it often, and so must we. I guess it actually shouldn't be a surprise that the followers of Jesus are still asking "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1).

Last week we looked at verses 5 and 6 in which Jesus addressed the habit of the hypocritical Pharisees to pray with the motivation of being seen by men instead of being heard by God. But in our passage today, Jesus addresses the actual words used in the prayers themselves. And his instruction this time is not a critique of the Pharisees, but of the gentiles.

Where the Pharisees error was praying to be seen by men, the gentiles error was thinking that if they said things the right way and enough times, then they would be heard. It had turned prayer almost into an "incantation" in order to accomplish some "magic" instead of a conversation between two beings. I love how Jesus simply says, "Your Father already knows what you need." What a beautiful thought and encouragement when I keep running into the persistent doubts and worries that I am not "very good" at prayer or that I am doing it the wrong way!

So what about the phrases I've listed above? Since they are repeated so often that they have become cliches, are they the modern equivalent to what Jesus calls "meaningless repetition"?

Based on my understanding of this passage...I'd have to say...it depends.

What does it depend on?

It depends solely on the heart of the person praying. As we discussed before, Jesus is the only human who had the ability to see into people's hearts and that is why he was able to say what he did about the prayers of the Pharisees and the gentiles. Would he say it today about some of us? I have to say that I think he would. But I also have to say that I think he would say it just as quickly about my perfunctory prayer of thanks before a meal that uses none of the above phrases but is still more of a habit and ritual than an actual thanks for the gifts He has given me unless I am very careful and deliberate to slow down.

I think the point is this...God isn't worried about how I say something. He isn't even worried about me repeating something. Just read the Psalms! David was a man of prayer that we can all learn from and yet how many times did he repeat things in flowery language!? I believe the point is that I am to simply be honest with God and open with Him. That I am actually thinking about the words I am saying whether they are words I read in the Bible or words I heard my dad say before meals for 15 years. That I am actually centering my thoughts and my heart on the idea that I am approaching the throne of God to engage in conversation with Him....AND THAT HE DELIGHTS IN THAT CONVERSATION! When that thought is in my head above all others, then I will be able to break out of the mold of rote prayers that have lost meaning to me...and I will also be able to break out of the habit of judging others who use phrases that I could repeat in my sleep if the first part were started.

Its a matter of the heart...not the words. May we all seek to worship God in spirit and in truth instead of just going through the motions. And may we all choose to assume that others who are praying privately or publicly are doing the same.