[Jesus continued:] “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”
Key Thought
The Stoic philosopher Seneca made fun of the pagans of his day “fatiguing the gods” with their prayers. Jesus warns his followers not to follow the same course. Senseless babbling and the heaping up of repetitious phrases do not win us an audience with God.
Prayer is not about magic formulas or fancy speech. Prayer is about our confidence in the Father’s knowing us and responding to our needs. With this understanding, our words don’t need to be special or effusive, just heartfelt and genuine! And sometimes, words are not even needed (Romans 8:26-27).
Today’s Prayer
Holy and righteous Father, thank you for hearing my simple words that come from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for blessings. Please forgive me for my sins and guard me from evil. Use me in astounding ways that bring you glory! Empower me to do your will. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
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