Scripture: Matthew 6:7-10 (ESV) —“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
If there is any parallel to how we often come to God with our requests, it may be best illustrated by the way a child approaches their parent. You probably remember plotting strategies to persuade your parents. Maybe it started with a warm hug, followed by some affirming words like, “You are the best, Daddy!” or “I love you so much, Mommy!” If you were really desperate, you might have even stroked their hair or rubbed their cheek. There’s no doubt that you truly loved them, but perhaps you didn’t fully grasp just how deep their love for you could go.
How deep is God’s love for you? It’s impossible to fully comprehend. But as your awareness of His heart increases, so does your trust in His wisdom. Whether it was when you were a child asking your parents for something or today as you ask God to bring your dreams to life, at some point, you realize that true love values your welfare over your wants.
Today’s passage is not just instructive—it’s also declarative. It reveals that, left unchecked, your heart will naturally produce words inflated with shallow sentiment. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” If you’re shocked when your heart tempts you to try to manipulate God, remember that your sinful nature conditions you to do just that. Inherent in our hearts is the tendency to clothe our prayers in platitudes—uttering words that may sound godly but are more a reflection of what our flesh desires rather than a surrender to what our hearts truly need.
A slow reading of today’s passage reveals profound truths:
You don’t go to God in prayer to enlighten Him. As it says, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
How you talk to God about your life is indicative of how well you know His heart. If you believe He is more impressed by grand words than moved by His unending love for you, then you don’t yet understand the depths of His love. God doesn’t invite you into prayer so you can make your best case for fleshly wants—His invitation is for fellowship.
In our earthly relationships, there is a phenomenon we often experience. It looks something like this: rather than pushing past the surface to cultivate true intimacy, we sometimes use shared practical matters as a bonding agent to maintain relationships. For instance, have you ever had an argument with a spouse or close family member that, even after being “resolved,” left an awkward tension? The temptation in such moments is to find a problem—any problem—that isn’t the real issue and focus on solving it together. This creates an illusion of unity while the original issue remains unresolved, only to resurface later with even greater intensity, increasing the risk of relational division. At the heart of this dysfunction is a reluctance to engage in true intimacy because doing so requires pushing past pride and investing in authentic connection.
There is nothing about God that even resembles a willingness to treat His relationship with you like this. Yet, thousands of years of history proves that it’s human nature to treat relationship with Him in the same way.
Returning to the passage—yes, we definitely want what we want. And because we know God can do anything, of course, we come to Him asking for things we may not even need. There’s no doubt that we are selfish at heart. But it’s deeper than that. At our core, we often find it easier to appeal to God’s power with lofty phrases than to engage in the kind of intimacy that allows us to embrace His heart and mind.
The passage concludes with these words: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God wants your prayer life to interrupt the gravitational pull of a broken world—a world that uses anger, fear, doubt, and unbelief to distance you from fellowship with your Creator. While we will never reach heaven’s perfect standard of peace on earth, God’s desire for us to walk in His peace is not compromised. And while His Kingdom won’t be embraced by a world that is passing away, our eternal souls can still declare, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Why would a soul that is eternal wait until God’s plan fully unfolds before living in the promise of it?
There are many specifics we don’t know about heaven, but we do know this: it is a place of everlasting fellowship with God. If you approach prayer believing its effectiveness depends on your delivery of it, you will miss God’s empowerment only realized through fellowship with Him
Remember, God desires a relationship with you based on His love for you. He invites you to push past the barriers that allow you to avoid the discomfort your flesh feels when true godliness makes it into your soul.
Reflection Questions:
When you pray, do you feel as though God receives your authenticity? Do the words you express originate from your flesh or from your heart?
Is there something in your life that stirs raw emotions with others but doesn’t make it into your conversations with God? How will you choose to talk to Him differently about the things you’ve avoided bringing to Him?
Do you express frustration with God? Do you find yourself apologizing or feeling guilty when you are transparent with Him? Ask yourself: What emotion could I bring to God that He cannot handle? Take a moment right now to talk to Him about your deepest hurts and frustrations.