Do we have to close eyes while praying?

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
Prayer is one element that makes up spiritual life for every human being that feels incapable without God’s help.

People pray and worship for different reasons. While we often still think of prayer primarily as asking God for something, prayer, properly understood, is a conversation with God or with the saints.

Just as we cannot hold a conversation with another person unless he can hear us, the very act of praying is an implicit recognition of the presence of God or the saints here with us. And in praying, believers strengthen that recognition of the presence of God, which draws us closer to Him. That is why the Church recommends that believers pray frequently and make prayer an important part of our everyday lives.

Prayer in Christian theology is all about talking to God. Prayer is not a set of rules that worshippers have to follow. There are no certain ritual steps that people have to do in order to pray to God.

Theologically speaking, prayer is our communication with God. With prayer, people can enter into a deep I-Thou relationship with God. So, it is all about relationship and not ritual.

Simply put, prayer is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made. Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon God. It is the needful practice of the Christian; the exercise of faith and hope and privilege of touching the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.

However, the diversity of faiths and faith groups has brought with it different approaches to prayer; a vehicle which most worshippers will take them to their Maker. While some people believe communicating to God can only be done with closed eyes some denominations are of the view that sincerity is paramount if someone is in desperate need to be intercourse with the Creator.

But the questions that one may be tempted to ask are: do we have to close our eyes while praying? And why is it that Christians, especially evangelicals and Pentecostals, teach their children to have their eyes closed when they pray?

Is it a biblical requirement of a 'spiritual' prayer? Is a prayer with open eyes less spiritual? What is the historical background of this 'common' practice among Christians?

Rev. Canaan Phiri, General Secretary of the Malawi Council of Churches (MCC) says he never studied any history relating to the birth of this Christian tradition, but gives two conflicting answers on the first question.

“No, we don’t need to close. At the same time, it is important that we close,” says Rev. Phiri.

“No because it is not recorded anywhere in the Bible says commanding believers to close their eyes during prayer. Therefore, the closing of eyes when one is praying solely depends on the predisposition of the faithful,” says Rev. Phiri.

On yes, the MCC general secretary believes that although the Bible doesn't require Christians to close their eyes in order to have a more 'spiritual' prayer Jesus did say in Matthew 6:6 about the need for seclusion during prayers.

The cited chapter reads: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Rev. Phiri states that note needs to be taken since Jesus is not teaching the disciples to close the door, and not the eyes.

“Doors have to be closed I think because Jesus wants the prayer to be sincere and not a self-performance in front of many people. Therefore the main reason why people close their eyes is that they want to be sincere and honest of heart, and not ritual eyes closed,” said the cleric.

Rev Fr. Bill Turnbull of the Roman Catholic (RC) says prayer is an important asset of Christian life, but argues that there is no need for believers to worry about how they can stand in the presence of God in prayer.

“The Bible speaks much of prayer. But, sometimes, too often, we ignore prayer and seek to accomplish in the strength of our own wills those things that we desire to have or happen,” says Fr. Turnbull, whose local name is Abambo Masina to his flock in Lilongwe.

“For those of us who are too often guilty of this, we need to bow our knees, confess our sin, receive God's forgiveness, and beg that the will of the Lord be done above our own. God is sovereign and loving and He knows what is best for us and others, even if it doesn't always seem to make the most sense,” he adds.

Bishop Mark Kambalazaza of the Charismatic Redeemed Ministries International (CRMI) concurs with the two saying closing of eyes during prayer is “just a question of common sense to avoid obstruction.”

Kambalazaza says there is nothing wrong for people to offer their supplications to God with eyes wide open.

“When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead he did not close his eyes. Actually, he just looked up in the sky and a miracle happened. So whether one closes his eyes or not God will still hear and act on your prayers,” says he.

On his part, General Secretary of the Blantyre Synod of the CCAP, Rev. MacDonald Kadawati, states that although it is not a rule, the synod recommends that worshippers should close their eyes for them to concentrate on their communication with their Maker.

On whose prayer God can answer first between the one that closes eyes and the other that does not, Rev. Kadawati agrees with Rev. Phiri and Fr. Turnbull who believe that sincerity of the prayer is paramount to the physical disposition.

While Mrs. Uledi, a Living Waters faithful, too, shares the view, she thinks it is necessary to close eyes when in communion with God.

“The intention of closed eyes during prayer is to quiet the mind whereas the intention of two hands placed together during prayer is to quiet the physical body's activities. When the mind and hands are silenced the spirit is allowed a more focused communication with a place of knowing. Closing eyes is an act of departing from physical realm,” Mrs. Uledi explains.

She, however, sees no biblical justification for the tradition and, therefore, cannot be a base for judging one’s spiritual soundness.

But Rev. Canaan Phiri observed that the practice is only synonymous with protestant faith groups, an observation that all the interviewees shared.

What is funny, though, is that in most case those who do not close their eyes are viewed as “worshippers with shallow spirituality”. The explanation is that

As the journey goes to the Promised Land (Heaven) rages on one thing is for sure: one is free to pray with eyes open or closed. God is not going to judge our physical predispositions and posture while adoring Him. Rather, the sincerity of our hearts and minds during our tête-à-tête with our Maker is what matters most if we want our prayers answered. It is the determining factor for one to escape hell during Judgment Day.

END.