By: Alexis Patterson

Matthew 6:5-18

I remember being a young girl learning the Lord’s prayer. Not knowing too much about what I was praying but knowing it was the way that Jesus taught us to pray. I didn’t know the significance but I would recite it until I had it completely memorized. I would later learn it is considered the “model prayer”. It is the prayer that encompasses selflessness and places God at the center of every single word.

At the foothills of the Galilean plains, Jesus preached with power and authority. He shared words that would be echoed for years to come. Jesus wasn’t just giving flattering words to make His listeners feel better, He was giving them keys to the kingdom of heaven.

In my reflection of Matthew 6:5-18 I gathered a few tips for prayer and fasting that I hope you will also find helpful.

Be authentic and pure in your approach. In Matthew 6:5 and 6:16, Jesus tells them “Don’t be like the hypocrites…”.

Expect God to meet you right where you are. Matthew 6:8, Jesus says “your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him”.

There is something sacred about what is done in secret. Matthew 6:6 says: “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret”; and Matthew 6:17-18 “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret”.

Jesus is explaining to His listeners that prayer and fasting are more than rituals, traditions or performances. They are access points to the Father. When they are done they allow intimacy with God that is pure and fruitful. The more time we spend with Him, the more we become like Him. God wants an intimate relationship with us. He doesn’t desire that we do anything for the validation of man but that we seek His kingdom and His will with earnest hearts.

So whether you are reciting a prayer you memorized as a child, or quieting yourself in a secret place for the very first time, know that God is already there waiting for you and knows exactly what you need. Prayer and fasting are not performances. They are conversations that lead you to surrenderance. These are moments when heaven meets earth in the most personal and powerful way.