Opening Scripture

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3-10

Opening Prayer

Gracious Heavenly Father, you are holy and exalted! May your kingdom come and your will be done in my life, home, and community just as it is in Heaven. Help me to trust you today to meet all of my needs. Help me to forgive others, just as you have forgiven me. Help me to resist temptation and overcome the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Matthew 6:5-8

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Reflection  

During the month of August, we will focus on the topic of prayer. In yesterday’s sermon, our pastor emphasized that our prayer life is rooted in, emanates from, and is contextualized by our relationship with God.

Prayer is a privilege. It is Almighty God’s invitation to engage with Him in an intimate, ongoing relationship. Prayer places us in God’s presence in a posture of awe, gratitude, and dependence. As we become more deeply and fully connected with God, our lives become more meaningful and fruitful. We flourish!

Today’s passage is part of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” A large crowd gathered on a hillside in Galilee to hear Him teach. In Matthew 5-7, Jesus explained what His kingdom is all about. Those who pledge allegiance to Him – “Jesus is Lord!” – and desire to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven need to understand the requirements and expectations of citizenship.

A significant part of that “divine nationality” is prayer.

Jesus opens today’s reading with the assumption that His followers are praying regularly: “When you pray…” Much of Rabbi Jesus’ instruction in the Sermon on the Mount focuses on distinguishing His teaching from that of the other religious leaders. In fact, in Chapter 5, Jesus tells His followers, “…unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The Pharisees and religious leaders are the “hypocrites” Jesus is referring to. Their relationship with God was all “show.” They were more concerned about impressing people with their piety than participating in God’s work of redemption. They wanted “credit” from the community for their performance prayers, and Jesus said, “…they have received their reward in full.”

Jesus also warns his followers against mindless “babbling” in prayer. The Greek word “battalogēsēte” denotes stammering, stuttering, and ineffective oral duplication. It suggests the empty, mechanical repeating of words and phrases over and over.

It reminds me of 1 Kings 18 when the prophet Elijah challenged the prophets of the pagan god Baal to a showdown at Mount Carmel. The 450 prophets of Baal danced around their altar all day, chanting, screaming, and cutting themselves, trying to get Baal’s attention. Elijah taunted them with “Shout louder! Perhaps your god is in the toilet.” Their mindless babbling and frantic thrashing produced no response.

Finally, Elijah had water poured on God’s altar three times and made one simple request, “Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” In an instant, the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the entire altar.

Prayer is not a ritual, but a personal encounter with our Heavenly Father. God is not impressed by the length or eloquence of our words, but by the humility and sincerity of our hearts. There should certainly be times of corporate prayer where God’s people pray with and for each other, but more importantly for an individual are those times of private prayer, simply between him and God.

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

Speaking of corporate prayer, last Saturday’s daily reading included James 5:16. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

In addition to private prayer, there is definitely a collective aspect to our prayer life. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).

In sharp contrast to the Pharisees’ showy custom in Jesus’ day, the purpose of corporate prayer among God’s people is unity, humility, and accountability in the body of Christ. While we typically don’t practice much confession in our gatherings, perhaps we should.

Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “…if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

God is interested in His children being rightly related to each other as an expression of their right relationship with Him. Confessing our sins to one another promotes humility and accountability. It fosters reconciliation and unity in the church.

Praying for one another brings about healing: spiritually, relationally, and physically. James mentions sickness, oil, and elders, but there is more to it than that. Health in the body of Christ is not formulaic, prescriptive, or reactionary. It is a condition of mutual submission to the Lordship of Jesus, under the control of the Spirit, that allows believers to minister continually to and with one another. Prayer is a huge part of that healthy, flourishing experience.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

How is your prayer life?

Is there someone you need to pray for or be reconciled to? Ask the Spirit to call that person to your mind, then follow His direction.

“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.” Charles Spurgeon

You can do more than pray after you’ve prayed, but you can’t do more than pray until you’ve prayed!