“Right Prayer”
Matthew 6:5-15
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” [Matthew 6:4]
“The word ‘pray’ [proseuchomai]; Strong’s #4336; is progressive. Starting with the noun, euche, which is a prayer to God that also includes making a vow, the word expands to the verb euchomai, a special term describing invocation, request, or entreaty. Adding pros, “in the direction of” (God), proseuchomai becomes the most frequent word for prayer.” [Dr. Hayford]
Prayer is therefore communicating “in the direction of” God one’s appeals, petitions, supplications, and even pleas. What this does not include, however, are demands. Webster’s dictionary lists “demands” as an antonym (opposite) to these words. Built into the very word for “prayer” in the original Greek is the idea of asking not demanding.
Most important to observe is the preface “pros,” i.e., in the direction of God. Our prayers must be in the direction of God. That sounds obvious at first, but upon further observation, especially at some “prayer meetings,” this might not be so obvious. All prayer, especially corporate prayer, must be in the direction of God. How disappointing it is when prayer meetings become more focused on delivery than direction.
That was a problem in Jesus’ day, and He touched upon it in His Sermon on the Mount. Jesus described real religion as a real relationship with God. And that relationship expresses itself in right giving, right prayer, and right fasting. Last week we looked at right giving, an offering [not a tithe law] that responds to the grace of God. This morning we will look at right prayer and study the model prayer that Jesus provided. Next Sunday we will look at right fasting, i.e., the denying of self that sets us apart to answer the call of God.
An important principle to note in the “Lord’s prayer” [Matt 6:9-13] is the order. It starts with God and ends with us. More specifically it begins with glorifying God and then ends with petitions. This, I believe, is the most important aspect of our Lord’s Prayer. It is not so much a prayer that we need to recite verbatim, although that would be ok. But it is more a model on how we should order our prayers, personally and corporately. Begin glorying God, thanking Him for Who He is and what He has done; and then proceed with petitions. That order will prove effective.
But the greatest insight into Jesus’ teaching on prayer is the personal aspect. Prayer is not for others to see; it is personal worship; it is for you to intimately draw near to your Maker. And when that happens prayer becomes powerfully effective.
