Feasting at The Table - How to Pray

Do you ever listen to someone else pray and admire the eloquence with which they communicate with God? 

On the other hand, do you shy away from praying in public because you find yourself stammering, stumbling over your words or repeating the same prayer over and over again?

Well, if you do, don’t feel bad. 

Can I make a confession? Every morning, I get a little nervous when I realize that at the beginning of The Morning Joy Experience, we must pray. 

So sometimes, I play a prayer song, sometimes I repeat the Lord’s Prayer. Sometimes I write out a prayer. Most times, I pray and the prayer is lengthy and sometimes it is very short. 

In any event, whenever I pray, I find myself repeating some of the same things over and over again. Like thank You God for waking us up this morning, thank You God for health and strength, forgive us our sins, give us a clean slate today, help that as we are blessed we will go on out and bless others, help us Lord to be ready to meet You when You return, save us in Your Kingdom God. 

Be honest know. Have you noticed that? Or do you do the same thing when you pray?

I’ve been thinking about it for a while and I started to wonder whether I am guilty of what the Bible calls Vain Repetitions. So can we discuss that today? Maybe you mightn’t need that clarity, but I do. Hopefully somebody can call and help a sister out here.

In Matthew 6:7-13, Jesus is teaching His disciples about prayer, as part of The Sermon of The Mount.

I read from the KJV:  “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

And The Message version of The Bible can really really humble us.

It says:

““The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best— as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.” 

So the part that got me a little hesitant was the mention of vain repetitions. But as we as humans do too often, I only heard, repetitions.  

Let’s explore the meaning of vain repetitions…because we want to be able to pray in the right way.

What’s the meaning of vain repetitions as mentioned in the book of Matthew. 

Vain in this context means empty, meaningless, purposeless. 

Repetition is the practice of saying/doing the same thing over and over again.

So when we engage in vain repetition prayers, it’s like coming to God yes again and again without being sincere, thinking that repeating these words would move God to respond. 

These kinds of prayers Jesus said in the scriptures are merely ritualistic or done for show. He encouraged his disciples, and us today, to bring our hearts to God, speak to God from our hearts, in sincerity, with meaning. 

Straightaway, I regain some confidence. Because what I hear here is how Jesus is saying when we pray we must be humble, open and honest.

I hear from the scripture that the warning about vain repetitions is not against the repeating of the words, but against the pride, ostentatiousness, pretence, fakeness that comes with it.

These are prayers that are really empty, lacking thoughtfulness or genuine faith.

So we now know how we should not pray. So let’s focus then on how Jesus says we should pray.

The Lord's Prayer is the perfect model. 

Let’s read from the Amplified version. Matthew 6:9-13

““Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’ 

Jesus emphasizes that we must address God as our Father, reverence His name, make sure we respectfully ask according to His will, recognize our need for God’s help daily, confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, and seek God’s help to avoid temptation.

  

So I was also reassured in knowing that I was not alone when it comes to feeling inadequate when praying.

I was reminded that God looks at the genuineness of our hearts. And even if our prayers are repetitive, God hears us and promises to answer.

1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.””

So we are encouraged to be persistent in our prayers. Pray and never give up. Jesus says God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night.

We can learn this lesson from the parable Jesus told of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8. She brought her case to the judge many times as she sought justice, and eventually, the judge granted her request. Never mind he simply got fed up with this woman.

Then there was Hannah in 1 Samuel chapter 1. She literally begged God for a child. She poured out her heart to God over and over again. Note here, she wasn’t doubtful. She was just that confident that God would answer her prayers. And God did.

Even Jesus repeated His own prayers.

Matthew 26:39-44 NLT - In the Garden of Gethsemane, before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed three times, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will”.

It was a difficult time but Jesus did not lack faith. He was just bringing his concern and desire before God. 

I am encouraged to pray on. What about you?

If by chance you are still shy, you don’t think you have the right words to say, you can’t speak as well as some other person, know that the Holy Spirit is here to help.

Romans 8:26-27 NLT - “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” 

Family, God honours simple, honest prayers. He already knows what we need so we don’t have to use elaborate words or long speeches. Instead, we can come to Him with sincerity, trusting that He hears and understands our hearts.

In Matthew 6:7-8, He says, ““When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”

So anytime we are tempted to feel uncertain or inadequate in our prayers, remember that the grace of God covers that too. 

The question is: how is your heart posture? Are we repeating the prayer because we doubt God’s ability to hear or answer, or because we are earnestly seeking His will and timing? 

That’s how we determine whether our prayers are vain repetitions. 

When it comes to knowing how to pray, the best model to follow is The Lord’s Prayer - reverence the Father, be honest and sincere as we approach Him, be grateful, pray for others, seek forgiveness and restoration and surrender our all to Almighty God.

aub - 9 October 2024

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