Matthew 6:5 ~
“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.
Helps Word Study on Hypocrites ~ 5273 hypokritḗs (a masculine noun derived from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 2919 /krínō, "judge") – properly, a judging under, like a performer acting under a mask (i.e. a theater-actor); (figuratively) a two-faced person; a "hypocrite," whose profession does not match their practice – i.e. someone who "says one thing but does another. (hypokritḗs) was commonly used of actors on the Greek stage. When applied in the NT, it refers to a hypocrite.
Matthew 6:6 ~
6 “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Who does not know the instructions from Jesus on ‘when you pray’? We see from these verses this week that it wasn’t a matter of not praying but rather why they prayed. We can never stray from the reality of heart matters before God. God looks at the heart. God examines hearts. A right heart can be corrected and steered. Jesus first addresses the hypocrite in his act of prayer. They hold wrong motivations; their form looks good, but their hearts are far removed. They want to be seen by others.
Jesus comes to set in order so the pray.er and his prayers can be both seen and heard and rewarded by the Father.
Matthew 6:7 ~
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
They ‘think’ many words move God. Jesus said they heap up empty phrases. Prayer is not to be meaningless repetitions, words without heart attachment. It isn’t the many words but their emptiness that is fruitless.
There is so much here that could be said about the multitude of words, but let us remind ourselves that 'in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking.’ The tongue unrestrained is trouble for you and me, but the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. What is right before our Father produces rewards.
Prayer is always to the Father, ‘our Father in Heaven’ and asked ‘in the name of Jesus.’
‘In the name of Jesus’ is not the signature on a blank check, but the words that are spoken just as if Jesus was speaking them. As the apostle and high priest of our confession, the one who ever lives to make intercession should there not be proper alignment with the one who is always right in His prayer.
… Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” ~ John 16:23-24
Divine alignment is always the first place of prayer. Finding ourselves one with his heart and mind sets us in order and gives us the confidence that He hears us when we pray, and because he hears us, we know He will provide us with what we have asked for, 1 John 5:14-15.
One more thought: just as Moses was called up to the mountain, instructed by God to go alone, ‘bring no man with you,’ bring the ‘stone tablets’ and ‘present yourself.’ Exodus 34:1, our secret place must be separate from others, the door shut from all distractions with hearts prepared to be written on as we present ourselves to Him.
There is something about the secret place that holds the Father’s eye and ear with the promise of open rewards.