Devotions

Your Father Who Sees in Secret

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Jesus continues teaching his disciples and followers with what is known as the sermon on the mount. It begins in Matthew 5 and continues through the end of Matthew 7. In this section, Jesus teaches them how to pray. And, yes, this is where Jesus gives us what is known as “the Lord’s Prayer”, but Jesus first say, pray in secret, behind closed doors. Prayer is a personal dialog with the Father. There are times for corporate prayer as a Church body or as a community or even nation as we in the United States annually on the first Thursday of May have a national day of prayer. Then Jesus goes on to fasting and … these are the topics for believers, followers of Christ, disciples. 

Shut Your Door and Pray

Matthew 6:5–8
Did it ever occur to you that there is a reward for prayer? And there are two ways to be rewarded. That is what Jesus said in Matthew 6:5-6 “whenever you pray” is how he starts.

  • Then he says, “they love to stand and pray … in order that they may be seen by people”. For these he says, “they have received their reward in full!” and it is the praise of men.
  • He also says, “pray to your Father who is in secret”. When you do this, he says, “Your father who sees in secret will reward you”.

But in this short introduction, Jesus doesn’t say anything about the content of the prayer or the answer to the prayer. His first and foremost distinction is that “The essence of prayer is the communion of the disciple with his Father”1 And it might be enough simply to be in God’s presence because as it says in

Psalm 16:11 (LEB) You will make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever.

Jesus doesn’t say what the reward is, but that the Father “will reward you” which may also mean to pay back, to render what is due, to cause to happen.

Now, at the end, Jesus gives us a glimpses of the content of the prayer he is speaking about in Matthew 6:8 “your Father knows what you need before you ask”. So, these prayers are for our needs. And our Father wants us to ask him and when we do, Jesus says He will reward us, He will answer us as He said in

Jeremiah 33:3 (LEB) ‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great things and inaccessible things that you have not known.’

Prayer is not an activity to undertake lightly. Prayer is spiritual warfare as described in Ephesians 6:10-20.

Ephesians 6:18 (LEB) with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this end being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

 

Pray In This Way

Matthew 6:9–15
Many people have heard the Lord’s prayer and this is it in Matthew 6:9-15. It is a simple prayer that covers the needs of our life right now and for today. It begins though, by acknowledging that God is Holy, it honors God for who He is. Then there is a request for God’s kingdom on earth. And if you haven’t noticed, God’s Kingdom is in heaven and the earth has not yet been subdued. This is the place where spiritual warfare takes place. Then there are the three things we need, our daily bread, forgiveness, and protection as he say, deliverance from evil. 

Your Father Who Sees in Secret

Matthew 6:16–18
Next, Jesus speaks about fasting. Not, in Matthew 6:16 “like the hypocrites … that they may be seen fasting by people”. Jesus says in Matthew 6:17-18 “when you are fasting” do it “to your father who is in secret, and you Father … will reward you”. These statements could easily be from

Isaiah 58:5 (LEB) Is the fast I choose like this, a day for humankind to humiliate himself? To bow his head like a reed, and make his bed on sackcloth and ashes; you call this a fast and a day of pleasure to Yahweh?

And the fast in secret is the works of feeding the poor, taking in the homeless as it continues here

Isaiah 58:6–9 (LEB) Is this not the fast I choose: to release the bonds of injustice, to untie the ropes of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and tear every yoke to pieces? 7 Is it not to break your bread for the hungry? You must bring ⌊home⌋ the poor, the homeless. When you see the naked, you must cover him, and you must not hide yourself from your relatives. 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall grow quickly. And your salvation shall go before you; the glory of Yahweh will be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and Yahweh himself will answer. You shall cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am!’ If you remove from among you the yoke, the finger-pointing and evil speech,

Store Up for Yourselves Treasures in Heaven

Matthew 6:19–24

Do Not Be Anxious

Matthew 6:25–34

Do Not Judge

Matthew 7:1–6

Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7:7–12

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Matthew 6:5-34
  • Matthew 7:1-12

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

References

  • 1. France, R. T. (1985). Matthew: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 1, p. 137). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.