Childlike Simplicity

It’s best to keep those doctoral dissertational prayers confined to your war room prayer closet. There’s no better prayer in public than simple and to the point.

April’s Awakening, Day 5

Follow the leading of simplicity in prayer, there can never be excess of it, for God loves to see us like little children in his presence.

 —Jean-Pierre de Caussade

Prayer is ordained to this end that we should confess our needs to God, and bare our hearts to him, as children lay their troubles in full confidence before their parents.

 —John Calvin  

Some men will spin out a long prayer telling God who and what he is, or they pray out a whole system of divinity. Some people preach, others exhort the people, till everybody wishes they would stop, and God wishes so, too, most undoubtedly.

 —Charles G. Finney 

The fewer the words, the better the prayer.

 —Martin Luther

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:5–8 NIV 

            It’s good for the soul to laugh at ourselves, and since God created us in His image, He must be laughing frequently at us too! When it comes to prayer, especially public prayer, oftentimes an innocent childlike simplicity is best. It is good to pray as specifically as we can and to expound upon the details, but oftentimes, that’s more for us than necessary for God. Being as clear as we can helps to solidify our prayer request in our own mind. Spoken words are powerful, and well-chosen words even more powerful and effective still. And nothing is better than claiming in prayer, God’s written Word. Yet short and simple can be just as effective, and eloquence is not required. If we just open our heart and let our true desire be expressed, that is enough.