Teach Me to Pray: Don't Be Like Them

What would happen to the Church if the Lord's Prayer became a test for membership as thoroughly as the Creeds have been? (P.T. Forsyth, The Soul of Prayer)

In the early days of our walk with Christ, we find ourselves on a learning curve like no other. It's part of the "rebirth" process that Jesus talked about in his discussion with Nicodemus. A man must be born again to see the kingdom of God.

Like immersing in a new and unfamiliar culture, we learn that life is the same, but different. Language is new. Habits begin to change. Our thoughts become less cynical and more filled with hope for the future. We begin to think about how to learn more about God, prayer, fasting, and well ... everything. It's all new. 

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I have talked with many new Christians who have wondered how to choose good books, teachers, Bibles, and wanted someone to teach them to pray and hear from God. It's not anything new to Jesus, whose disciples were with him 24/7 for three years. 

And yet, we are told in Luke's gospel that one of the disciples asked Jesus, "Teach us to pray, like John taught his disciples."

What an amazing teacher, that Jesus didn't scorn them for asking for help, but turned this opportunity into a lesson on communication with the Father.

To begin His lesson, though, he had to lay some ground rules. He was about to give them a model prayer, and needed to establish the proper etiquette. In my mind, it is like a person who says, "Sure, I'll tell you the secret of the sauce, but first ..." and in anticipation of exciting nuggets of wisdom, he says the following:

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. and your Father who sees in secret will reward you (openly)" (Matthew 6: 5-6).

As one who tends to overthink and want understanding, as one who also finds herself asking the same question--often scripture repetition in the form of prayer--I find myself asking questions.

    1. What does it mean to pray like a hypocrite, today?

    2. Is it wrong to recite prewritten prayers?

    3. How can I be sure I am not engaging in vain repetition?

In my desire to understand, I found some prewritten prayers. I will share one of them:

Powerful Prayer for Opening Worship

Oh God Almighty, You deserve all praises because You are the God who never fails His promises. We gather here today, giving thanks and praising Your excellency. Though we fail severally and in different ways, You have at no time turned Your back on us, Father. We cannot count the blessings You've poured into our everyday lives. As we prepare to learn Your word, may You fill our hearts and minds with knowledge and understanding. In Jesus' name, Amen.

At its core, there is nothing wrong with this prayer. It is solid. It's not a prayer for salvation or protection like these following Scriptures:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. he leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. ~Psalm 23

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. ~Psalm 51:10-12

Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits-- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. ~Psalm 103:1-5

Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O LORD my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore. ~Psalm 86:11-12

These are Scripture. There is nothing wrong with reciting them in prayer. There are many portions of Scripture that, if prayed, will in fact be praying God's will. For instance:

The LORD is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ~ 2 Peter 3:9

So, what's the problem, you ask?

It's a matter of the heart. Faith. 

James warned us against doubting when asking for wisdom, saying "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. ~James 1:5-8

The best way I could describe a wave of the sea is how it felt to be taken by a wave and tossed back to shore again. I couldn't get my footing. When I tried to stand, it pulled me under. I swallowed more salt water than I cared to. I had no control and had this lasted longer than the 30 seconds that it did, I would have panicked and potentially become injured.

Jesus also called out Pharisees for their hypocrisy in Matthew 15:1-9 when they asked Him why His disciples didn't wash their hands before eating bread. Then Jesus' response, "Why do you transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" He addressed their insistence on imposing laws and traditions but failed to honor God's laws. Jesus ended his discourse with, "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying: These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

Friends, being repetitious is not the problem. Faithless expressions of prayer, are.

James 5:16-18 tells us that the "effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Jesus told parables, one of which involved an unrighteous judge and a widow seeking justice. The judge gave justice due to her impertinence, not his own kindness. "And the LORD said, 'Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?'" ~Luke 18:1-8

At the end of the day, when Amens are said, we know the LORD weighs the heart. If we experience doubt, confess it to the LORD, and say, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief." ~Mark 9:24

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The important thing to remember is FAITH. 

Do you believe God's word is true?

All of it?

Then whenever doubt whispers in our ears, take that Word and search it. What does it say about the words of doubt?

Example: Financial provision. How will we pay the bills and provide food and clothes? Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

With these final words, I leave you until next time:

But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. ~Hebrews 11:6