有关演讲的最好的建议是“简朴即为美！”根据耶稣的建议，祷告也要保持精简。
耶稣在马太福音第6章教导我们有关祷告的事，祂教导说：“你们祷告，不可像外邦人，用许多重复话，他们以为话多了必蒙垂听。”祂在这里说的是那些相信假神的人，他们以为需要用浮夸的祈祷来吸引神的注意。但真神不会听不见我们祷告，祂会留意我们一切的需要。
好，这并不是说公开祈祷和长祷文是错误的。我们聚会时经常会有一些公祷，由一位领袖代所有人祷告，而所有人都一同献上各人的祷告。而且，我们也经常有许多事要献上感恩或代求。所以长时间祷告是适当的。耶稣自己也经常这样做。
我们祷告时，无论是单独还是公开，最重要的是专注在神身上，我们是向祂祷告。是祂创造了天地，祂因爱我们，甚至将祂的独生爱子舍了，救我们脱离罪和死亡。我们可以用简单、真诚、直接的方式，向神献上感恩，或分享我们的忧虑。耶稣应许说，我们的父不仅会听我们的祈求，祂也会回应我们的祷告。还有什么比这更纯粹而美好呢？
神的灵啊，求你在我们向天父祷告时，在我们里面透过我们说话。祂爱我们远超过我们所能想像的。阿们。
传道书 5:1-7
1你到神的殿要谨慎脚步，因为近前听胜过愚昧人献祭，他们本不知道所做的是恶。
2你在神面前不可冒失开口，也不可心急发言。因为神在天上，你在地下，所以你的言语要寡少。
3事务多就令人做梦，言语多就显出愚昧。
4你向神许愿，偿还不可迟延，因他不喜悦愚昧人。所以你许的愿应当偿还，
5你许愿不还，不如不许。
6不可任你的口使肉体犯罪，也不可在祭司面前说是错许了。为何使神因你的声音发怒，败坏你手所做的呢？
7多梦和多言，其中多有虚幻，你只要敬畏神。
"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling. . . ." — Matthew 6:7
Some of the best advice for giving a speech is "Keep it simple!" Keeping it simple, according to Jesus, is good advice for prayer as well.
In his teaching in Matthew 6 about prayer, Jesus advises, "Do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." He was talking here about people who believed in false gods and thought that you needed to make a spectacle with flashy and showy prayers to get the gods' attention. But the true God has no trouble hearing us, and he is attentive to all our needs.
Now, this was not to say that public prayers or even lengthy prayers were a mistake. There were often prayers in public worship, where a leader would speak for all of the people, who prayed together at the same time. Also, there were often many things to give thanks for and to be concerned about, so it could be appropriate to pray for a long time. Jesus himself did that often.
When we pray, alone or in public, the main thing is to focus all of our attention on the Lord, to whom we are praying. He made the heavens and the earth. He loves us so much that he did not spare his only Son in rescuing us from sin and death. In a simple, heartfelt, direct way, we can share with God all of our thanks and cares. And Jesus promises that our Father will not only hear but also answer our prayers. What could be simpler than that?
Spirit of God, speak in us and through us as we pray to our heavenly Father, who loves us more than we can imagine. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
