Matthew 6:1–18
Be Still: Lord, I come to you today with an open heart. Help me to connect with you in prayer, trust your presence, and hear your voice as I spend time with you. Amen
Read: Matthew 6:1–18
And when you pray, do not keep babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (v7-8)
Encounter: I love catching up with friends I haven’t seen in ages. There’s something so beautiful about sitting down after months – or even years – and sharing everything from the mundane to the monumental. Conversations cover everything from the new podcast you’re obsessed with to the exciting news about a job you’ve just started.
But these conversations can also be tiring as you feel you have to provide lots of context: who’s who, recap previous stories, and remember whether the moment you’re sharing is new or already told. Sometimes it feels like you’re doing extra work just to bring your friend up to speed so the real news can land.
I think this is a bit like the way we sometimes approach prayer, especially if our conversation with God has gone quiet for weeks, months or maybe years. We might feel like we need to ‘catch God up’ before we can speak honestly about what’s happening now.
But God isn’t like the friend you haven’t seen in years. He doesn’t need context. He knows the people, the places, and the moments in your life – better even than you do. He hasn’t forgotten anything. Prayer isn’t about giving him information or performing a spiritual report. It’s about speaking with the One who knows you completely. Jesus is the friend who knows every detail, every moment, every word, every thought. Let’s bear this in mind as we approach him in prayer.
Apply: How does thinking about God as a father who is with you in every moment, who sees and knows everything, change the way that you come to him in prayer today?
Devote: Lord, remind me that you know my heart, my needs, and my life completely. Teach me to come to you with honesty and simplicity, trusting that you are always listening, always present, and always loving.