Don't Be Like The Hypocrites

WHEN YOU PRAY, YOU SHALL NOT BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES. Matthew 6.5.

You may know ‘what to pray’ but be ignorant of ‘how to pray’. When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in response to their request, it is interesting to note that He prefaced it with certain instructions as to ‘how to pray or how not to pray’. He did it because He noticed the pitfalls in prayer of the religious people.

Pay attention to what Jesus taught about prayer so that you do not make the same mistake and lose God’s answers that you desperately need! Here is the first of those instructions. “When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men”.

Do not fall into the trap of ‘wanting to impress your hearers by your ability to pray’! Your prayers are for God’s ears. If you are praying with others, they too need to hear to join in your request and say ‘Amen!’ You can be loud but not haughty; bold about not arrogant. Do not make the mistake of addressing our prayers to men rather than to God. Prayer is pleading to God and not a sermon to the people. Jesus warned of such prayers saying, “Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward” - peoples’ praise but not God’s attention or answers.

Do not search for flowery words and high-flown clichés’ to impress people and hear them say, ‘it was a good prayer!’ Pray in order to please God and seek His favour for you and others. Let there be humility and no traits of arrogance and pride that would intimidate people and even God! However, everyone should learn to articulate and pray well, especially using or claiming God’s own Words and promises, as you mature in your spiritual life.

Dear child of God, read and learn some of the prayers of the saints of the Old Testament. They are simple yet sublime and full of humility and honesty before God. The prayers of the New Testament, especially that of the apostle Paul, are inspired and magnificent. There are times when we are led by the Spirit of God and we cannot but help to intercede as He helps us (Rom 8.26). That is when we may burst into ‘sublime and superlative prayers’, like the apostle Paul praying on behalf of the believers and for them (Col 1.9-14). Learn to pray ‘right’ to receive your reward!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, I thank You for teaching me ‘how to pray’ and get answers from the father’ and ‘how not to pray’ and lose my reward. Amen.