<p>6:8&nbsp;<em>Therefore, do not be like them! Even before you ask Him, your Father knows </em>- This gives a profound insight into the purpose of prayer. Prayer is not in order to inform God of human need. He knows all things, and He knows every human need. So if prayer is not in order to inform God of anything, what is it for? Ultimately, it is for our benefit. Keeping on and on repeating our perceived needs, repeating them vainly, as if we are endlessly stuttering, is actually a form of selfishness. Prayer is to be about dialogue with God, sharing life with Him, confession, sharing thoughts. An analysis of David's prayers as recorded in the book of Psalms shows that only about 5% of the verses are requests for anything material. The rest is simply talking with God. The idea of prayer as a mindless repetition of specific needs, in the belief that the more times we state them, the more likely God is to respond- is the very opposite of the kind of prayer which God intends. The Lord's model prayer which He goes on to give features only one request for anything material- and that is simply a request that God gives us enough food for today.</p>
<p>The Kingdom prophecy that &ldquo;Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear&quot; (Is. 65:24) is applied to us&nbsp;<em>now</em>&nbsp;(Mt. 6:8)- as if answered prayer is a foretaste of the Kingdom life.</p>
<p><em>What things you need-&nbsp;</em>The hope of the future Kingdom means that we will not now be materialistic. It will give us strength against materialism. And the model prayer was given by Jesus in the context of His comment on how some tend to always be asking God for material things. The Lord teaches that the paramount thing we should request is the coming of the Kingdom, and our forgiveness so that we might partake in it.&nbsp;<em>This</em>&nbsp;is the request we should be making- for &quot;Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of&hellip; after&nbsp;<em>this</em>&nbsp;manner therefore pray ye&hellip;&quot; (Mt. 6:9,10). Later in Mt. 6 the Lord repeats the same words: &quot;Your heavenly Father&nbsp;<em>knoweth that ye have need of all these things</em>&hellip; seek ye first his Kingdom&quot; (Mt. 6:32-34 RV). The structure of the Lord's prayer reflects this- for the first and only request in it is a seeking for the coming of His Kingdom. The RV of Heb. 10:34,35 brings out well the same theme: &quot; Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your&nbsp;<em>possessions</em>, knowing that ye have your own selves for a better&nbsp;<em>possession</em>&quot; (RVmg). Having warned against materialism, the Lord bids His men to &ldquo;rather seek ye the Kingdom of God... it is your Father&rsquo;s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom&rdquo; (Lk. 9:31,32) in the place of seeking for material things. The more we grasp that it really is God&rsquo;s will that we will be there, the more strength we will have to resist seeking for material things in this life. By being sure that we will be there, the Kingdom becomes our treasure, where our heart is, rather than any material treasure in this life (Lk. 9:34).</p>