““And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (Matthew 6:5, ESV) There is nothing wrong with praying in public – but there is something very wrong about praying so as to be ‘seen by others.’ Prayer is to God alone. Let him be our focus. He is our ‘audience’ – we are communicating with almighty God at his request – no, his command “when you pray”. We are to pray ever and always about all things for all time – but keep our prayer pointed up and not out. Pride is the most fiendish, devilish, destructive force in our lives and we wall struggle with it – though not all admit the struggle. It is the natural response of our flesh but we must not be led by your flesh but by the Spirit.
