And when you pray...

We have all probably encountered those who don't like to pray in public - kind of shying away from being asked to do the honors of saying grace or the like. Then there are those who seem to like it very much, almost going to the extreme when doing so - as though the grandeur of their words would somehow unlock heavens gates for the beckoned answer quicker than any other "key".  When you run into someone who actually knows God in a deep, personal way, you realize the simplicity of their prayers is really quite moving.  As a mother, I always loved it when my kids would just reach out to pray for the thumb I had hit with the hammer, or the splinter I had managed to embed in my hand while doing yard work.  They were simple prayers, but I knew heaven took special notice of them - because they were genuine.  Just simple "Jesus heal mommy's splinter" opened my heart to heaven, so I knew it had to open heaven to me!

When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray loudly. They want people to see them. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get. But when you pray, you should go into your room and close the door. Then pray to your Father. He is there in that private place. He can see what is done in private, and he will reward you. And when you pray, don’t be like the people who don’t know God. They say the same things again and again. They think that if they say it enough, their god will hear them. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8 ERV)

As Jesus met with thousands eager to hear his stories, connect with his power, and simply be onlookers in a crowd of curious looky-loos, he didn't miss an opportunity to point out the futility of "religion".  Yep, you read that right - the futility of religion.  Religion is a set of rules for the sake of rules - going through the motions without any real relationship behind them.  Relationship was always Jesus' number one concern and his main focus in life.  I don't know about you, but I have a private place - it pretty much is inside my head most of the time! I don't spend a whole lot of time going into a closet, closing a door, getting down on my knees and praying.  Sorry to disappoint some, but it just isn't my "prayer style".  I spend time praying in traffic while I drive - not usually concerned if people think I am talking to myself since most cars these days come with bluetooth and people are "talking to themselves" all the time!  I pray in the middle of staff meetings when I am feeling like I need the wisdom to know how to respond when something needs to be said.  I even pray at baseball games to keep my grandson safe, or help their coach to have the wisdom to coach without breaking the spirits of the boys.

Prayer isn't necessarily following a pattern as many of us who grew up in one denomination or another with "prayer books" or the like may have come to appreciate prayer.  It isn't a series of this prayer, followed by that one, etc.  It is expression of the heart - in simple conversation with a listening and responsive God.  There isn't any magical equation to prayer, but when Jesus tells his disciples to pray "like this" when he recites The Lord's Prayer (The Our Father), he is simply telling them his heavenly father has concern for each of their daily needs.  Acknowledge him for who he is in your life, express your gratitude for what he does, ask him for whatever it is you need (and even want), yield to his instruction, and don't forget to be real in your confession of sin.  This is what he taught in the prayer.  It wasn't a pattern so much as it was an indication of being in relationship with God the Father.

When we are in relationship with another human being, what do we do?  We communicate with them - our hopes, fears, dreams, needs, praises, frustrations, etc.  It isn't any different with God - we just don't need to talk with him in a showy way or with such "piety" that we "drip" religious words.  Look again at the Lord's Prayer and you will see he doesn't "prescribe" the prayer, but he reminds the disciples that none of their needs is too small for God to care about. He also wants us not to be shy about sharing how much we love God, count on his grace in our lives, and appreciate the care he gives to each of our steps. The people of the day lived for God's Kingdom to be established - as once it had been under the great King David.  They had been overtaken by one king after another and were now under Roman rule.  They wanted their "old ways" back. Jesus isn't overlooking their desire to have God's Kingdom restored - he is pointing them to the way it is done - through relationship with him!  Just sayin!

Reality Show - Get Real!

• Sincere:  free of hypocrisy, deceit, or falseness; earnest; genuine, real.
• Steadfast:  fixed in direction, steadily directed; firm in purpose, resolution; firmly established.

Wow!  Today's traits are pretty overwhelming when you read those definitions, but they are quite possible for the one whose life is tapped into the wisdom, knowledge and understanding which only comes from being intimately connected with Christ.  Most of us desire to live free of hypocrisy, yet when it comes to being totally "real", it is quite a different story, isn't it?  We somehow perceive we will be "judged" if we are who we are, so we "play act" a little to kind of "cover up" what we think others don't want to know about us.  The truth be told, the other person is probably doing the same.  This is why so many newly married couples have a rude awakening when they actually are married and not just dating.  We put our best foot forward in dating, don't we?  When the reality of who we married is apparent because we are suddenly finding out they leave the cap of the toothpaste, squeeze it from the middle, or don't pick up their socks, we are shocked!  Steadfastness is something we equate to the "never say die" mentality.  We label someone as steadfast when we see them going the extra mile, undaunted by failure, or simply "plugging away" even when others have given up.  Truth be told on this one, most of us wish someone would actually come alongside of us and tell us it is okay to quit!

God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.  (Proverbs 2:6-8 MSG)

God expects sincerity.  Plain and simple.  No backing down on this one, friends.  There is something which can only be displayed in the sincerity of our lives, so trying to be something other than what we really are is really doing God's grace in our lives a disservice!  Sincerity in a scriptural sense is really the evidence of pure desires and motives.  Now, don't get me wrong, we all veer from this at times, but God knows the intent of the heart and he is not distracted by our failures!  In fact, he is encouraged when we come back to him with our failures and actually lay them at his feet.  He knows there is something he can do in us at that point.  Look at what our passage says:  He is a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.  A bodyguard is an "escort" of sorts - purposed to protect the one they are escorting.  God's got his eye on us, even in the midst of our failure, and his purposed plan it to protect us!

God also expects steadfastness.  If you ever struggle with sincerity even a little bit, you probably also struggle with this one, as well.  You see, sincerity opens the door for us to be steadily directed in our path.  When we are real about our struggles, God is consistent in his direction.  Consistency is one of the character traits of a good bodyguard.  He is ever-vigilant to keep an eye on specific things which could potentially 'trip up' the one he is escorting.  His vigilance is unwavering.  We can stand assured, God is steadfast in his commitment to us, even in our wavering condition!  His vigilance over our lives never ends.

Now, sincerity and steadfastness give us a pretty solid foundation upon which we might walk.  I know this because I struggled with sincerity for a long time.  I tried to hide behind all kinds of facades - both good and bad.  Then one day, I came to the realization it was too hard keeping the facades straight!  I could not remember which one I wore in which circumstance.  Maybe you have found yourself in the same place.  What you lack in sincerity you will reveal as also lacking in steadfastness because the foundation is not solid!  Let me go back to the point I made earlier - God doesn't expect perfection - he examines the motives (the heart).  Just because the heart is sincere doesn't mean every action will be perfect.  It means we will easily recognize when we aren't acting as we should!  It also means we will quickly seek to rectify the wrong action!  There is a relationship between the sincerity of heart and the firmness of the foundation upon which we stand.  If the heart is fickle, constantly drug this way and that by every emotional whim, the foundation will be pretty shoddy.  The closer we get to being real with God, allowing him to make us "comfortable" with who we really are, and then allow him to remove the masks we wear, the better the foundation will be in our lives.

God keeps his eyes on all who live honestly - he pays special attention to those committed to living according to his purpose.  It cannot be said any better!  We may be a little shocked to examine ourselves in the light of God's Word - seeing ourselves as we really are.  In the moments which ensue after we first recognize the lack of foundation we have created by our attempting to live behind the masks, we may feel a little "undone".  Yet, it is in our "undoing" that God is free to begin his "doing" in our lives.  Just sayin!