Sometimes Christians pray like pagans. Jesus shows us a better way to pray.

“Jesus: “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this, ‘Our Father…’” (Matthew 6:7-8)”

No one likes being manipulated. According to Jesus, pagan prayer is when you try and manipulate the gods through how you pray.

Originally, the word ‘pagan’ was used to describe someone from rural areas who wasn’t very sophisticated or educated. Pagans were backwards and superstitious believing in wood fairies, river elves and magical gobbledygook. Before science the world was a fantasy land of mystical and magical things. Life was about following rituals and rites that placated the gods and manipulated them into giving you stuff and not hurting you.

Then came Christianity – which originally flourished in the cities as opposed to the country villages – teaching that there are no fairies, elves and spooky things in the woods. Instead, Christianity, being the fulfilment of monotheistic Judaism, taught that there is only One God. That One God is the Creator God of the rivers, seas, woods, fields, animals, skies, weather… everything. He rules over everything. The word that describes this attribute of God is ‘sovereign’.

God is sovereign and does as He pleases, but thankfully He is perfectly good and only ever does what is good. The Bible teaches that God can’t be manipulated by rituals or rites or by saying special words etc. Its ironic that in our day society thinks its Christians who are superstitious, backward and a bit rustic.

Jesus tells His disciples not to act like pagans. When we believe that certain prayers are powerful and must be repeated because if they don’t get repeated we will forfeit the blessings that could be ours – this kind of false teaching makes ‘Christianity’ as pagan as any pagan religion. Or, if we think praying in a special language has more power than praying in our own language we are acting like pagans.

If we think fasting makes God sit up and listen more than if we just talk to Him, we are trying to manipulate God. If we think that all we need is the right amount of faith and God will have to give us whatever we ask, we are being pagan. Jesus says it quite simply: don’t be like pagans. Don’t babble like pagans who think they will be heard because of how they pray.

What matters is not the ‘how’ but the ‘we’ part. Who we are is more important than how we pray. Jesus says that for God to hear us we must be His children. ‘Our Father…’

How does Jesus know? Jesus is God and He tells us how to pray. Jesus is the One who gives us the right to become children of God. What parent doesn’t hear their child ask them for stuff? Our Father is a Perfect Father who gives good things to His children without us needing to manipulate Him.

If we pray on any other basis other than that Jesus has given us the right to become children of God, we are acting like pagans. Jesus says, ‘Don’t be like pagans.’ Just talk to your Father, simply and plainly.