Scripture: Matthew 6:5-8
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Matthew 6:5-8
THE PROBLEM WITH PRAYER PERFORMERS
Let’s be plain about this. The Lord Jesus Christ had no patience for religious showmanship. He identifies a specific type of person: the hypocrite who prays not to be heard by God, but to be admired by men.
This was no minor offense. This was wickedness dressed in religious garments, exactly what Solomon warned of in Proverbs 15:8: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
These prayer performers chose the most public places possible – synagogues and street corners – to conduct their “private” devotions. Their goal wasn’t communion with God. It was the applause of men, just as Jesus warned in Matthew 23:5: “But all their works they do for to be seen of men.”
“Verily I say unto you,” Jesus declared, “They have their reward.” That reward? A fleeting moment of human admiration. Nothing more. As 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us: “for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
GOD DOESN’T NEED YOUR PERFORMANCE
The contrast Jesus gives is striking. Instead of public performance, He commands private prayer. “Enter into thy closet.” Shut the door. Pray in secret.
This isn’t new instruction. We find the pattern throughout scripture. In Genesis 32:24, Jacob “was left alone” when he wrestled with God. In 1 Kings 19:9-12, Elijah encountered God not in the wind, earthquake or fire, but in the “still small voice.” Even Jesus Himself practiced this principle as Mark 1:35 tells us: “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”
Why? Because true prayer isn’t about impressing others with religious words. It’s about honest communion with the Father who already “knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” As Psalm 139:4 confirms: “For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.”
This demolishes another prayer error: the heathen notion that God needs to be persuaded through “vain repetitions” and “much speaking.” The Father isn’t a reluctant deity who must be worn down by your persistence or impressed by your word count. As Isaiah 65:24 promises: “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
THE HEART OF CHRISTIAN PRAYER
The New Testament believer’s prayer life should be marked by three qualities:
- Privacy – Not hiding from others, but focusing on God alone, as we see in Matthew 14:23: “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”
- Sincerity – Speaking honestly, not performing religiously. As Psalm 145:18 says: “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”
- Simplicity – Trusting the Father’s knowledge rather than multiplying words. We see this pattern in the Lord’s prayer itself in Matthew 6:9-13, a model of brief, direct communion with God.
The modern Christian faces the same temptation as those ancient hypocrites – to turn prayer into performance. We post our “prayer requests” on social media. We use fancy religious language in group settings. We measure spirituality by prayer length. This is all vanity. God is not impressed.
Consider the Pharisee in Luke 18:11-12, who “prayed thus with himself” – not with God – listing his religious achievements. But the publican who simply cried “God be merciful to me a sinner” in Luke 18:13 went home justified.
THE FATHER’S RESPONSE
Notice what Jesus promises: “Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
The prayer that no human witnesses will receive divine acknowledgment. The Father who watches what happens behind closed doors will respond in ways that eventually become visible to all, as Job 42:10 demonstrates: “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends.”
We face the temptation to judge God’s character by the immediate visibility of His answers instead of by His word. But the Father’s timing is perfect, and His rewards are certain. As Hebrews 11:6 reminds us: “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Private prayer produces public blessing – not because prayer is a formula that manipulates God, but because honest communion with the Father aligns us with His will. As 1 John 5:14-15 teaches: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Until tomorrow, stay in the Book. 📖
Brother Tony.