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. 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. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8)
Many today, like in Jesus' day, believe prayer is some sort of public production or planned out and scripted recitation. While there is a place for
public prayer and
corporate prayer, it is NEVER for the applause of men. It is ALWAYS a form of worship to our great and awesome God! Many times we simply try to
fit God into our daily routine; as we drive, as we eat, as we take a work break, etc. However, we need that
planned time simply to spend with God!
Prayer is a personal, intimate communication with our Creator. While we can now boldly come before God's throne of grace, we still come humbly and respectfully. It needs to be a place of
quiet and
stillness so we can not only pour out our hearts to God, but we can also
hear Him pour out His heart to us! Communication requires speaking and listening, and as James reminds us, we are to listen more than we speak . . . even when it comes to prayer.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry . . . (James 1:19)
Let's ask ourselves these simple questions:
• How much of your day is spent in silence?
• What do you need to help your family understand so that they can support you in and not distract from your quiet time?
• What effect will your consistent quiet time have not only on you but on those around you?
Is God NOT important enough to have some special moments of our day?
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