Vain Repetitions
September 29, 2010
Dear Friends,
What is the difference between “vain repetitions” and persistent prayer?
In Matthew 6;7, Jesus says “when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” In this passage, Jesus condemns formulaic prayers that are not heartfelt. Probably the best Biblical example of this kind of prayer from the heathen perspective is found in 1 Kings 18:26 concerning the prophets of Baal.
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us.
They seemed to think by the simple repeating of this phrase over and over – O Baal, hear us – that this god would grant their request. After Elijah mocks their foolishness, they are reported to have thought that perhaps they weren’t being heard and so cried this ridiculous phrase even louder. O to have been a fly on the wall at that amazing event!
Jesus says that we can be guilty of doing this with God. If we think our heartless form prayers or certain key phrases are the key to God hearing us, we are missing the point. I was told the story about a brother who insisted that every brother in his ecclesia use the exact same phrasing to end their prayers. This is not rocket science. God wants our hearts, not vain repetitions. Could the Scriptures be any plainer on this point?
So how is this different than the parable of the widow in Luke 18? This widow petitioned this godless judge over and over and became a model for persistent prayer. The point of the story was not to “bug” God with repetitious prayer to get our way. The point of the story according to Jesus is “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (18:1 NIV) God is on our side. He is not somehow pitted against us. He loves us and has our best interests at heart. Jesus is saying that if a godless, worldly judge will hear the petitions of a lowly widow, how much more will our loving, righteous Heavenly Father hear us and give us what we need?
The question inevitably comes up in these discussions of whether or not we should say things like the Lord’s Prayer. It is after all a “form prayer.” It seems to me that the answer is “it depends.” It depends on how and why we say it. Are we reciting it like the Gettysburg Address without thought or care or is it a heartfelt prayer using the model given to us by our Lord? This same thing goes for all of our prayers. Do we say the same prayer over meals three times a day? This might not be bad if it is heartfelt each time. By the same token, the most eloquent prayer in the world, if it is offered in pride or for show, is equally useless. Trust me; God is not going to be impressed with how eloquent we are. We may fool our listeners as to how “wonderful” we are, but God looks at the heart. Any ritualized prayer in which we think saying this prayer is going to make everything “OK” with God and is said not considering who we are talking to needs to be reexamined closely.
I have gone on record before and will repeat again that I do not think that we need to end each and every prayer with “in Jesus’ Name” or something to that effect. There is nothing wrong with saying it; however, if we think saying this is the magic formula to gaining access to God, we are wading into “vain repetitions” territory. Praying in Jesus’ name is the recognition that we may boldly approach the throne of grace through our relationship with our great high priest and king, Jesus Christ. What God wants from us is a heartfelt recognition and appreciation of what Jesus has done from us, not a mindless “postage stamp” to get our prayers to God. People who know me can testify that in my public prayers I usually both open and close with a mention of the fact that this prayer is being offered “in Jesus’ name.” This is done not from a sense of obligation to say it but from an ever deepening sense of just what a high price Jesus paid to wake me up from my sins to a life in God’s service. (For a deeper consideration of this topic, I recommend Bro. John Launchbury’s book Change Us, Not God)
O God, thou God of my salvation: my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.(Ps. 51:14-17)
Have a great week,
