Matthew 6:5 – 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.
Today’s verse makes me think, “Ouch.” I would hate to be called a hypocrite, especially by Jesus. But we know from the Scriptures that hypocrisy was just as rampant in those times as it is today. I am sure we can all think of someone who is a hypocrite. What’s sad is when we see those people in the church, but what better place for them to learn of their need to change. Verses like this should prevent us from seeing hypocrisy in believers, but we know it still happens.
Jesus gives us some very important instructions about prayer in this passage. He is not telling us we shouldn’t be praying. Quite the opposite actually. He is teaching us how we should pray. We should be praying privately, seeking response from God not from public recognition. Our prayers are not meant for show. They are not to be done in the public eye because prayer is meant to be a one-on-one relationship between us and God. We do not use prayer for personal recognition or edification. Prayer is communication directly with God.
The purpose of prayer is to be in the presence of God, not for others to see us and think we are pious. This verse is about motivation and purpose when praying. We can enter into His presence in public so long as our motivation is to be present with Him rather than for the approval of others. God already knows what we need. We do not need to prove anything when we enter into prayer (1 Corinthians 13:12). We simply need to talk to the Father, just as we are.
I have been learning to pray out loud around others over the past year. It has been a challenge for me because I hear other people praying and I can’t help but compare myself to them. I have had confidence issues, thinking my prayers were not good enough, were too short, were inadequate in comparison. But I have also been reminding myself of this verse because my audible prayers are not meant for others but are intended for Him.
And that is what I want you to take away from this devotion. Our prayers are meant for His ears, not man’s. Do not be afraid to speak your prayers in public. Just remember to do it for Him, not others.
Be the first to comment