“…give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.”~ Psa. 17:1
David pretended to be something he wasn’t before Achish, King of Gath (1Sam. 21), but in the presence of God, he didn’t play-act in prayer. He was not a sinless man, but he certainly was a sincere one. Is it not sad that the act we put on before others, we oft times continue before God?
How prone we are to be spiritual pretenders. It is important for not only our brethren to see us as spiritual, but also our God. But feigned prayers are fruitless prayers. If what comes out of our mouths doesn’t originate from the heart, it is only so much hot air. It may puff us up, but it will never build us up.
There are two extremes in prayer, and either can make one look spiritual. At one end of the spectrum, God is used as a “genie in a bottle.” Whatever they wish for, they believe they will get. But at the other end, those who proudly say they don’t ask for anything, but leave it all up to God, are just as much in error. Such seeming commitment can be a cop-out for a lack of faith.
The truth of the matter is, there are times when we are to ask and receive; and there are times when we are to commit and be content. Only those who are close to God will be able to discern which is which.
If in prayer we said only what we meant, they would be much shorter.