As Jesus is preaching on the mount in Matthew 5-7 He addresses several topics. All of which challenge us to live up to a certain standard as citizens in the kingdom of heaven. One of those topics is that of prayer. He already addressed the right and wrong ways to give assuming His disciples would be generous givers. Therefore in Matthew 6:1-4, He encourages them further on how to give in the right way. Jesus also assumed His disciples would pray, therefore now He addresses the right and wrong ways to pray and it was important that they not pray in the same way the hypocrites pray.
Jesus says the hypocrites (literally the word means someone who acts and puts on a show) love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners to say their prayers for all to hear. These two places were the main areas where a Jew in Jesus’ day might pray in a hypocritical manner. They might be at the synagogue which was a community gathering place during the time of prayer and they might stand on the street corner at the appointed times of prayer (9 am, noon, and 3 pm). During worship at the synagogue, someone from the congregation might be asked to pray publicly but prayer was not normally practiced on street corners. However, someone who observes the times of prayer in a strict manner might time their movements to bring them to the most public area to pray.
Why would someone do that? Jesus says, “that they might be seen by men”. These hypocrites prayed not to be heard by God but to appear pious to those who witness the prayers. This can easily be a common practice today when people might pray publicly to impress others instead of genuinely pouring out their hearts to God. These kinds of prayers insult God. When we go through the motions of prayer trying to impress others, then we use our relationship with God as a way to impress people who don’t need nor deserve it. We are worshiping the thoughts of others instead of God. Jesus says they have their reward. They got what was coming to them. They were seen.
Jesus now gives the right way to pray by explaining that we should not use “vain repetitions”. Words that are just words have no meaning, mind, or heart. God is not waiting to just hear words God is listening to hear your heart. Prayers with vain repetitions use words that sound fancy, religious, and even holy. We’ve all been guilty. When we say, things like: “guide, guard, and direct us”. This phrase is saying the same thing just with different words. Really what you want to say is “God lead us where we need to go and get us there on your time and in your way. It would be better to say those words from the heart than to say the words we have all heard a million and half times. We also say, “Give the preacher a ready recollection of the words he has prepared today.” Fine, Fine. great prayer… but what you really want to say is, “Help him remember what he has prepared and say it in a way that makes a difference in our lives calling us to repentance”.
The point is, that Christian prayers are measured by weight, not length or rhyme and intellectual fortitude. Pray with your heart. Many of the most impactful prayers are short, sweet, and simple. Why say lot word when few word do trick!
Pour your heart out. You are not saying the words for someone else. You are saying the words for God. When you express prayer in this way not only will God be pleased but it teaches others who are praying with you to pour their hearts out in prayer too and not worry so much about what words to say and how pious they sound. Be real, be genuine, and be yourself. God loves you and he wants to hear your heart.
I love you,
Alex