Pray Precisely
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.“ Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:7-8)
For a long time, I have tried to understand how this verse reconciles with the story of the unjust judge where the widow pled day and night for justice and finally received her answer. I have also heard people interpret Matthew 6:33 to mean “keep praying, seeking, or knocking.” So, what do the above verses mean?
I have come to the conclusion that Jesus is not telling us to refrain from praying about the same thing repeatedly. He wants us to pray fervently about important matters, and that may sometimes mean asking for something on a daily basis. I think he is rather addressing those who use pious words or who say the same phrases or prayers over and over. My mom used to tell us to “use precise words,” and I expect that is partly what Jesus is getting at here. Since the Lord knows what we need before we ask, the only reason to use a lot of big, lofty words is to be seen of men. (We covered that in the last post.)
As you pray this week, make sure that you are praying from the heart in accordance with the heart of God. That is when you will begin to see results.
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