Bible Verse of the Day Thursday November 17th, 2022

Matthew 6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The Pharisees, Sadducees, and the other leaders of the Jewish people had developed a form of Prayer that tended to highlight their excellent work (Luke 18:11). Jesus taught His followers, those that believed that He was the true promised Messiah, how to pray, and how not to pray. He told them first not to pray like those that pray with themselves in mind, referring to them as hypocrites. Second, Jesus explained to them that our prayers should be personal time spent with God, not to pray in long "babblings" to impress those around us (Matthew 6:5-7). God already knows our needs, so we should not come before God with a wish list. Instead, our prayers should nurture and promote faith and trust in God that he knows what we need long before we realize our requirements.

The gift of Prayer was not given to us so that we might change God's will; our prayers should be asking God to help us to discover His will for our lives and, more importantly, follow His will. Long-drawn-out prayers highlighting our supposable good deeds may impress those around us, but they do not impress God. It is illogical and unfounded to inform God of our needs or some trial or tribulation we might find ourselves in because He knows better than we do just what we need or are going through. Charles Spurgeon once wrote: "Christian prayers are measured by weight and not by length; many of the most prevailing prayers have been as short as they were strong." (Spurgeon) The substance and core of Prayer should be to confess and acknowledge our dependence on God, which will bring honor and glory to Him, where all the praise and credit belongs.

At its nucleus, Prayer is being able to talk to God. That is only possible because our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, has removed the impediment and barricade between God and humanity. The barrier blockade between God and us is because of our sins, and we have no right to come before God. Jesus took on the penalization for our sins at the Cross, removing the barrier separating us from God. Consequently, we can draw near God's throne and receive all the love, grace, and mercy that God so wants to bestow upon us (Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 5:14).

The most important thing we must recognize and accept is that there will be times when God answers our prayers, and we do not realize it. Sometimes when asking God for something, He will say no, or we will have to wait when the answer we desire will be; we want it, and we want it right now. We sometimes think we know what is best for us, but God knows that our needs are much better than ours. That is because we have limited sight ability; we cannot see past the moment we live in, where God can see the past, present, and future. Always remember the privilege and gift of Prayer are bestowed upon us for only one reason, because of the substitutionary work that Christ Jesus did on the Cross of Calvary on our behalf.