“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart; These, O God, You will not despise. “ – Psalms 51:17 NKJV
This week, we have explored the reasons for prayer and how to approach it with faith, perseverance, and focus. Today, we will delve into the right posture to enhance our prayer experience.
Have you ever seen a superhero movie where the lead character could read people’s minds? Around them, no one could pretend or tell lies without their hearts revealing their true intentions.
But unlike the superhero who often had a limitation to this power, God is all-knowing. He sees our hearts, and He has no limitations (Jeremiah 17:10). This characteristic is called the omniscient nature of God. This nature is how God knows all our needs, wants and desires, even before we pray (Matthew 6:8).
The most indispensable principle of prayer is the sincerity of the heart. Our anchor scripture tells us of the importance of a sincere heart- a broken and contrite heart. This means that more than the activity of prayer, the posture of the heart is more important to God.
Therefore, when we pray, we should approach Him with total sincerity and submission. The religion of prayer has made it possible for man’s lips to say one thing, and his heart, another. However, when we pray, it is not the words that God checks, but this state of our hearts.
No wonder the Psalmist asks God to test his heart, not the words from his lips (Psalms 26:2).
Seeking God sincerely is something every believer must hold in high regard. Jesus frequently rebuked the Pharisees for their insincerity and lack of humility in prayer. In Luke 18, He told a parable about two men praying in the temple. The Pharisee boasted about his deeds, while the tax collector spoke few words but with complete sincerity. Jesus had this to say about the tax collector.
“I tell you; this man went down to his house justified rather than the other…” – Luke 18:14 NKJV.
In addition, when praying every believer must recognise his position in Christ. Recognising the gift of God’s grace drives us to prayer with total submission to God.
We can count hours in prayer, but if our prayers are insincere, we will not find God there. We see in James 5:16 that “The heartfelt, continued prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available.”
Dear believer, let the heart of sincerity, submission and worship to God push you to a daily life of prayer.
Bible Reading Plan: Mark 13