![]() We pray because it pleases God, not because he needs to be reminded of or instructed on anything: We ought to remember to whom we are speaking, God knows all things, even the things we are praying about. We also ought not to be long-winded as if we really have to explain things to God. We ought not to be impetuous or flippant when we approach the Lord of the Universe. Once I have spoken, and I will not answer Even twice, and I will add nothing more,” (Job 40:4-5). “Behold, I am insignificant what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. Job, likewise, at the end of his trials, learned and declared: “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise,” (Proverbs 10:19). “For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words,” (Ecclesiastes 5:2-3). For God is in heaven and you are on the earth therefore let your words be few. “Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. Such prayer, as Jesus warned, should not be a lengthy, self-aggrandizing ritual or an attempt to manipulate God into doing what we want through the number or eloquence of our words. “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer,” (Acts 2:42). Indeed, of the very first church in the book of Acts it is said: Christians ought to be a people defined by prayer. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises,” (James 5:13).Įvery kind of situation should draw us back to prayer. “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. He meant that we should never tire of going to God in prayer, expressing our thanks for all things, making our petitions known, and leaning on Him. He was advising a devotion to the practice of regular prayer and a perpetual attitude of thanksgiving. Paul was not saying that our entire life would be one endless prayer, talking on and on forever. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God,” (Philippians 4:4-6). “Rejoice in the Lord always again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving,” (Colossians 4:2). “rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,” (Romans 12:12). ![]() Note that Paul elsewhere wrote to the Romans that they should be: However, this sort of shallow misreading of the text is not at all what the authors’ really had in mind. Endless recitation and prayers of only a few words cannot be reconciled. If we understand Jesus to simply mean we should keep our prayers short and if we understand Paul to mean that I should be speaking words to God literally every second of every day, we certainly have a problem. “Rejoice always pray without ceasing in everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). So do not be like them for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him,” (Matthew 6:7-8). “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. It is only by misunderstanding one or both of their statements that one might perceive an apparent conflict. There is no contradiction between Jesus’ and Paul’s instructions regarding our practice of prayer.
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