Prayer should be meaningful, not just said by rote

HELLO, and welcome to Thought for the Week. Do you sometimes wonder how to pray? If so, you’re in good company, for the first disciples asked Jesus: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11, 1).

Matthew says Jesus started his reply by telling them how not to pray: “When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6, 7 to 8).

Praying is not repeating some set words. Nor are many words necessary for true prayer. One prayer in the Bible has just seven words: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18, 13).

Jesus then told the disciples the manner in which they should pray. He didn’t tell them to use the exact words, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” etc., for doing that could go against what he had said about vain repetitions – not that it’s never right to pray using those words; it’s just that repeating them parrot-fashion isn’t prayer.

True prayer starts by recognising who God is. It focuses first on God’s glory: God’s kingdom. Notice how the pattern prayer starts: “Our Father”. Can you address God as “our Father? Jesus said to some of the Jews: “If God were your Father, you would love Me” (John 8, 42).

Loving and believing in Jesus is essential for true prayer. What about you?

The prayer pattern recognises God as the source of everything we have: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6, 11). “Bread” is just an example of the gifts God gives us.

Lastly, for now, there’s the recognition by the person praying that they have broken God’s commands: “Forgive us our sins... and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Luke 11, 4).

Do you pray like that?

» David Lamb is a South Devon-based Baptist lay preacher.