YOUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED

Matthew 6:6-8
6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 8 Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him. (WEB)

In today's Scripture passage, Jesus tells us that we should pray in secret to our Father who in turn, will reward us openly. I can't imagine how this must have enraged the religious leaders of the day, who at the time, wouldn't even speak the name of God, let alone call Him 'Father'. (They were though, happy to make a show of their prayers publicly so everyone would notice.)

Jesus told us that when we pray, we are not to use 'vain repetitions' or what I would like to call 'religious formulas' when talking to our Dad. He is a good Father who just wants to spend time with His kids and as Jesus tells us in verse 8, He knows the things we need before we even ask for them.

My prayer today is that each one of us would see prayer as simply talking to our Dad. He is not listening to hear religious sounding repetitions, but rather the simple, quiet longings of His little one's heart. May we all know that we don't have to do anything to impress Him with our spiritual disciplines because we already have His full attention, simply because we are His beloved children.

Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (WEB)