In our next few studies through the Sermon on the Mount, we are going to slow the journey down and spend some time in the prayer that has become known as The Lord’s Prayer.

Jesus introduced it like this:

5 “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. (In other words, no reward from God – just from people)6 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. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matt 6:5-8)

You may remember, from our last devotion in verses 1 – 4 that Jesus said something similar about giving to the needy. Do it in the Secret Place where only your Father in heaven sees. Don’t give or pray to try to win the approval of others. “An audience of one” is all that is important – the Lord himself. And his rewards last for all eternity.

Jesus then said, ““This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed (holy) be your name…’” (Matt 6:9)

The Bible has much to say about God being our loving Father, His presence in Heaven and His holiness. Consider these verses for example:

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

13 From heaven the LORD looks down

and sees all mankind;

14 from his dwelling place he watches

all who live on earth—

15 he who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do. (Ps 33:13-15)

​1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Is 6:1-3)

Our Father in Heaven, sits on His throne, exalted above all things and sees the heart of every human being. But He also loves us deeply, constantly inviting us into his presence through prayer and through faith in His son, Jesus.

Jesus taught us to respond to that invitation by speaking simple words, beginning with, ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed (holy) be your name…’. He knows the Father hears it, and He knows the Father sees us. And he knows the Father loves to call us His children.

Continuing our studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matt 6:1-4)

I wonder if you have heard the phrase, “an audience of one”. It speaks of doing something quietly, knowing only one person can see – the Lord himself. No-one else knows about it. It is a secret between you and God.

When we are in a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ, when we are secure in His love and our hearts are open before Him, we don’t need to seek approval from those around us. We can be content in the knowledge that God sees and that’s enough.

In two separate psalms, David talks about the Secret Place. In both cases, he is referring to being in his mother’s womb. For example, in Psalm 139 he prays,

15 My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; (Psalms 139:15-16)

The Lord’s eyes saw him. Can there be anything more wonderful? We started out our life in the Secret Place, where only God saw us. The psalm also describes how Lord carefully formed us and made detailed plans for our lives. Many years after David wrote the psalm, Jesus called us to continue in intimate relationship with the Father, spiritually dwelling in the Secret Place, seeking only His approval for the decisions that we make.

The word, “reward” is used three times in this passage. Some of us might have been taught that we shouldn’t do things to seek rewards, but the fact is, the Father loves to reward us. We don’t earn His rewards (He doesn’t owe us), but He does love to bless us when we do the right thing.

Those who give to the needy with an attitude of showing off, or trying to win the approval of human beings, “have received their reward in full”. The honour given by people may feel good at the time, but it won’t last forever. Describing a sports hero or an actor we sometimes hear the phrase, “you are only as good as your last performance”. Human praise is fleeting. But the Lord’s rewards are for eternity.

The Secret Place is a place in fellowship with God through faith in Jesus Christ where we are loved and where life has meaning and purpose. And the rewards found there last forever.

Continuing our studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5:43-48)

I wonder if you have ever had an enemy. Somebody who opposes you, tries to hurt you, someone who takes delight in discouraging you; maybe they have even bullied you in some way.

Here, Jesus instructs us to love them and one way, he says, to do that is to pray for them. We may not feel we have love for an enemy, but we can choose to do love - by praying for them. That might seem difficult to do but sometimes praying for a person can have surprising results. Here’s how it works. Praying for a person we struggle with can potentially achieve two things:

First, it can soften our heart towards forgiveness and away from retribution. It can help us to see the person as broken and needing Jesus. The person who has not shown love or respect to us is still loved by the Lord. He died for them too. If we can make a decision to pray for the person instead of nursing our wounds, or entertaining ways of getting even, the Lord uses such prayers to change our hearts to be more like Him. Praying for an enemy invites the Lord to have His way in us.

Second, it may be your prayer or my prayer that God chooses to bless and bring that person to repentance and faith in Him. If your enemy is going to change, it is more likely to occur on the back of compassionate prayer than from anger

Think of people in your life now or people you have known in the past. Those who have hurt you. People who have made your life difficult. Pray that they come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Or, if they are believers, pray that they come to a deeper understanding of the Lord and His ways.

If you can, pray these words over them from Numbers 6 v 24 – 26.

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.