Scripture

“Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him.”

Observation

We must not do good deeds to impress people. Instead, we should give to charity quietly and without fanfare. Do things privately and not for the accolades of men.

When we pray, we don’t do it as a show of piety. Instead we should go to a quiet place to be alone with the Father.

When we pray, we should not go on and on, as if God is impressed by our long-winded prayers. He already knows what we need before we pray.

Application

If God knows what we need before we ask Him, one night ask, “What is the point of prayer?” And if God is sovereign, then all prayer does is let God do what He was already going to do anyway.

Prayer is really for our benefits rather than God’s. When we pray, we are admitting that we cannot do anything and that we are totally dependent on God.

When we pray, we allow God’s Spirit to replace anxiety with peace, fear with expectancy.

When we pray, we do not bend God’s will to conform to our desires. We bend our desires to conform to God’s will.

When we pray, then we are offering ourselves up to God to be used by Him. I express my concerns to Him, and sometimes He tells me what I should do about them.

Above all, prayer is meant to be a two way conversation with the Lord. It is not it is not about dumping a list of demands, but listening for the for the still small voice of God’s Spirit.

Prayer

Lord, please teach me how to how to pray. Allow my prayers to become a means of deepening my friendship with you. Amen.