Friday, July 1, 2022
“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6
When it’s all for show, it’s a no-go in the eyes of our Father. A priority is placed on on private prayer, but not exclusively so. There are many biblical examples of public prayer that are commendable, but prayers offered just to make a favorable impression on someone(s) are anything but impressive to our Father.
The best place for prayer is the prayer closet, but many of us can testify that it is there that a great mental battle takes place. With the best of intentions to be focused on fellowship with our Father, the most insignificant and even inappropriate thoughts crowd into our prayer sanctuary.
A common image of prayer is that of open hands touching, finger to finger and palm to palm
. This is not the only way to pray, but there is significance and benefit in praying with hands folded. Folded hands are considered to be a symbol of submission in that one about to be taken prisoner has his/her hands tied together as held in this position. We symbolically convey our captivity to our Father, and to Jesus our Lord, when we pray in this way.
It may literally be healthy to pray with folded hands. Bringing our hands together in the prayer position, some say, brings the two hemispheres of our brain together, resulting in better focus and less anxiety. It may literally be true that praying with folded hands can help minimize mental distraction as we seek to focus on our Father.
The private prayer closet is a place of peace, calm, and renewal. Many can testify as to its central place and importance in their spiritual development. If you are not in the habit of beginning your day in a time of Bible study, meditation, and prayer, I encourage you to do so. Wonderful blessings await you.
Pastor Steve
“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6
When it’s all for show, it’s a no-go in the eyes of our Father. A priority is placed on on private prayer, but not exclusively so. There are many biblical examples of public prayer that are commendable, but prayers offered just to make a favorable impression on someone(s) are anything but impressive to our Father.
The best place for prayer is the prayer closet, but many of us can testify that it is there that a great mental battle takes place. With the best of intentions to be focused on fellowship with our Father, the most insignificant and even inappropriate thoughts crowd into our prayer sanctuary.
A common image of prayer is that of open hands touching, finger to finger and palm to palm
. This is not the only way to pray, but there is significance and benefit in praying with hands folded. Folded hands are considered to be a symbol of submission in that one about to be taken prisoner has his/her hands tied together as held in this position. We symbolically convey our captivity to our Father, and to Jesus our Lord, when we pray in this way.It may literally be healthy to pray with folded hands. Bringing our hands together in the prayer position, some say, brings the two hemispheres of our brain together, resulting in better focus and less anxiety. It may literally be true that praying with folded hands can help minimize mental distraction as we seek to focus on our Father.
The private prayer closet is a place of peace, calm, and renewal. Many can testify as to its central place and importance in their spiritual development. If you are not in the habit of beginning your day in a time of Bible study, meditation, and prayer, I encourage you to do so. Wonderful blessings await you.
Pastor Steve