“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words,” Matthew 6:7 (NIV)
Commentary: If we sweep through the Scriptures, we will discover that Jesus Christ actually had some prayer patterns that he followed and expect us to imitate:
- Jesus Christ’s prayers are always first addressed to God, not to other entities in the Bible or any popular religious personalities in his day (Matthew 6:9);
- His words are few, because he acknowledged that “for your Father knows what you need before you ask him,” Matthew 6:8 (NIV);
- His prayers are direct–He told God straightaway about the things he was praying for;
- He never doubted whether God had heard him or not. In John 11:42, he said, “I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
- Jesus Christ prayed fervently. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground,” Luke 22:44 (NIV)
Prayers: Teach us how to pray the kinds of prayers that are swiftly answered by You, O Lord!
