Meditation 229
Mathew 6: 1-6
Today is Ash Wednesday, which was not something that was part of my observance of Christianity as I was growing up. I learned more about Ash Wednesday and Lent as I became older, and in the last twenty years or so, including Ash Wednesday in preparation for Easter has become more significant. Sometimes there have been community observances, either a special service offered to the community by one congregation, or an inter church service. For a few years we had a pancake supper at St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church on Shrove Tuesday, and then we would work on activities that would lead us into Lent, and close with a brief worship with an Ash Wednesday theme. Whether the observance of this day is new or familiar in our observances of belief it has good things for us to learn.
Part of the practise of Ash Wednesday and Lent is prayer and repentance. In the passage in Matthew that is suggested to be read on Ash Wednesday, Jesus has some things to say about prayer. He says to be private in your prayers, he cautions against standing up in the place of meeting (in this case the synagogue) or the street corners to pray. Jesus says that those who pray in this way to be seen by others have their reward. In other words, if you are praying publicly in order to be noticed as a pious person then you will have that reward. Jesus seems to be implying that such a prayer is not really offered to God. The one who comes to God in private will be the one who really connects with God. It would be easy to be absolute in our understanding of this teaching and say that all public prayer is vain glorious, and all private devotions will be fruitful. Experience shows otherwise.
As much as Jesus contrasts public and private prayers, we know that not all public prayers are hypocritical. A few years ago, the people of St Stephen had gone through a stressful year. There had been accidents and deaths, and the manager of the town suggested that it would be a helpful thing for the town to have a public service of prayer to come together before God. Many worked together to create this truly ecumenical service that was held outside. It was a time of worship and devotion as people publicly bowed in faithfulness.
I believe that one thing that Jesus is encouraging in this teaching is to examine out hearts. We need to come to God in a spirit of supplication and entreaty. Prayer is a way of communication with God, not a way of promoting the piety of the person. Today as you come to God in prayer, you may do so in confidence that God wants to hear from you and that God will hear the quietest and simplest of prayers.
Prayer is more that asking God for what we want, it is communion with God that helps us to know and follow God better. When we pray on this Ash Wednesday, we might want to use the words of one of the choruses “Have your own way Lord, have your own way. You are the potter, we are the clay, mold me and make me after your will, While I am silent yielded and still.“ Such a prayer can be said as we sit quietly in our room, as we drive to appointments, or as we do our work. As we begin the season of Lent, we may want to be intentional about spending more time with God in prayer.