When you get a card in the mail, what means the most to you? Is it the beautiful poem written by a professional, or the little handwritten note scribbled by your family member or friend at the bottom? For most of us it is the handwritten note, even though it may not be as articulate or eloquent. We appreciate it more because it is personal and heartfelt.
Likewise, Jesus said, “When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.” He taught that chanting the same words over and over was not a prayer that God would honor. He taught that droning on and on has no merit. He taught that when prayer is rote and ritualistic, it may be therapeutic for the person praying, but the God of heaven is not attentive. Instead Jesus said, “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.”
As children, our prayers often consist of a memorized verse or series of verses… “Now I lay me down to sleep…” or “God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food…” But, as we mature, both in age and faith, our prayers should change. They are not to be a memorized recitation, a fingering of beads, or even repeating the Lord’s Prayer without thinking about it. Prayer should be an authentic expression of what is in our hearts and on our minds… a personal conversation with our Heavenly Father.
Pray with me… Dear Father, we want to be focused and thoughtful as mature children of God when we pray. Forgive us when we revert to the practice of saying a prayer instead of truly praying. In Jesus’ dear Name we pray, amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Ken
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