“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”
Matt. 6:5
Discussion
These days we act as if the instructions Jesus gave about prayers have suddenly become obsolete. Listen to Jesus on prayer; Matt.6.5-9; "And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. 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." (MSG)
Take note of these phrases; 'theatrical production', 'regular show', 'hoping for stardom', 'tempted to roleplay'. When it comes to prayer, these are all self-centred phrases indicating a desire for self-glory and self-praise. This has become very popular in our day. Too many people peddling techniques and formulae for getting what you want from God. Jesus teaches us to pray in a way that takes away public accolades and redirects our focus to God. Prayer that keeps the focus on you and how men will admire you, misses the whole reason for prayer which is to have communication with your heavenly Father. Some get carried away trying to imitate someone else's prayer gestures. As much as we learn from each other, we must remember prayer isn't imitation but communication. Don't fall for the temptation to put up a prayer show. It's not necessary to take pictures of yourself when praying so you can post it on social media. Instead of spending your energy trying to publicize your praying, rather, spend the time and energy in the real prayer. There is a place for advertising to invite brethren to join you in a prayer meeting, but there is also that wrong place where you're acting like those pharisees in Jesus' day; seeking the admiration of men. Take heed! Judge your motive. The wrong motive could make you lose your rewards. Shalom Uvracha!
Meditation
Matt. 6:5 — And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.