Prayer: Keep it simple.

"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.

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

(Matthew 6:5-8, ESV)

Is Jesus saying that we should not pray long prayers? Some might say that it is the intention that's important (i.e. one prays long prayers merely to look spiritually good). That said, it's clear that one should not "heap up empty phrases".

What do you think constitutes "empty phrases"?

Remember: "For your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Carson (Expositor's Bible Commentary, Matthew), I think, helps flesh out the various thoughts contained here:

Jesus is not condemning prayer any more than he is condemning almsgiving (v. 2) or fasting (v. 16). Nor is he forbidding all long prayers or all repetition.

He himself prayed at length (Luke 6:12), repeated himself in prayer (Matt 26:44; unlike Ecclesiasticus 7:14!), and told a parable to show his disciples that "they should always pray and not give up" (Luke 18:1).

His point is that his disciples should avoid meaningless, repetitive prayers offered under the misconception that mere length will make prayers efficacious.

Such thoughtless babble can occur in liturgical and extemporaneous prayers alike. Essentially it is thoroughly pagan, for pagan gods allegedly thrive on incantation and repetition.

But the personal Father God to whom believers pray does not require information about our needs (v. 8). "As a father knows the needs of his family, yet teaches them to ask in confidence and trust, so does God treat his children" (Hill, Matthew )

Suffice to say, I've heard my fair share of pastors who are capable of praying an entire sermon. That's not necessarily bad. The good intentions are certainly there. But ah, we must remember the model prayer:

Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Simple enough, yes? Again, no one's stopping us from expanding on that model. But there's no need to add so many things, as if leaving them out will make prayers lesser in quality and less effective. God knows and will meet all our needs (Matthew 6:30).