"The Peril of Prayer"

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.

Recently I read an incredibly potent little book by A.W. Tozer called "Keys to The Deeper Life". More of a collection of thoughts, it is filled with amazing (and challenging) quotes and ideas. One idea specifically was in the area of prayer:

"Nothing is so vital as prayer, yet a reputation for being a mighty prayer warrior is probably the most perilous of all reputations to have. No selfishness is so deeply and dangerously sinful as that which glories in being a man of prayer. It comes near to being self-worship; and that while in the very act of worshiping God." pg65

Oh the hidden dangers of "being spiritual".

The truth is... I love to pray. By myself walking down the street, on the floor of my bedroom, in the morning with a couple of my closest friends, before a service at RE:hope... or lying beside my wife just before we go to sleep. BUT, I know this danger that Tozer refers to well. Sometimes I catch myself thinking about what I think others will find interesting as I pray OR I hear the phrase "I echo my brothers prayers..." and a little pride seeps in OR (if it wasn't my prayer) I think about why my prayers were just as valuable as "my brothers" OR (and this is probably the most dangerous) I think about what I think God wants to hear... hmm... how do you spiritually "butter up" an all knowing completely majestic Lord of the universe?

The REAL truth is that there is a part of me that wants to be known as a "mighty prayer warrior"... a part of me that wants to look more worthy than I could ever be... a part of me that wants to hear "well done" not JUST from my Father in heaven, but from my brothers and sisters in Christ... a part of me wants... to steal... just a little... wee bit... of glory... for myself.

I know... I'm a sinner.

But the problem is... I want my reward - the promised one from that passage in Matthew 6 - and glory seems as good a reward as any. And I want it today, on my terms with payment in full in the here and now... did I mention that I am a sinner.

Fortunately, the Bible (and Tozer) has some thoughts on this very situation.