--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God looks not at the oratory of your…" description: "\"God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how elegant they may be; nor at the geometry of your prayers, how long they may be; nor at the arithmetic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/thomas-brooks-2757_arithmetic_god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-pra_1625553.png" --- # God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how elegant… ![“God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how elegant they may be; nor at the geometry of your prayers, how long they may be; nor at the arithmetic of your prayers, how many they may be; not at logic of your prayers, how methodical they may be; but the sincerity of them he looks at.” quote by Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/thomas-brooks-2757_arithmetic_god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-pra_1625553.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/thomas-brooks-2757_arithmetic_god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-pra_1625553.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/thomas-brooks-2757_arithmetic_god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-pra_1625553.png) > “God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how elegant they may be; nor at the geometry of your prayers, how long they may be; nor at the arithmetic of your prayers, how many they may be; not at logic of your prayers, how methodical they may be; but the sincerity of them he looks at.” [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True value of prayer lies in heartfelt sincerity, not in formal structure or length. **In simple terms:** Sincere prayers matter more than fancy or long ones. Key Takeaway Pray honestly, not just formally. Themes faith prayer authenticity Mood reflective contemplative Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - personal worship - group services - confession - meditation Key Concepts spirituality intention humility Questions to Reflect On - Do you focus on form or feeling in prayer? - How can you cultivate genuine devotion? A Different Perspective Sincerity can be hard to gauge, leading to self‑judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arithmetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arithmetic/) [Elegant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elegant/) [Geometry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geometry/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Oratory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oratory/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Sincerity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sincerity/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [We are often in society told to make decisions in one of two ways. We're either told "Use your gut, just go with how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/we-are-often-in-society-told-to-make-decisions-in-one-of-two-ways-we/) [Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/) > [Art is a creation of a higher order than a copy of nature which is governed by chance… By the elimination of all muddy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-signac/art-is-a-creation-of-a-higher-order-than-a-copy-of-nature-which-is/) [Paul Signac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-signac/) > [I tend to be very methodical for a variety of reasons. I'm more of a plodder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-squier/i-tend-to-be-very-methodical-for-a-variety-of-reasons-i-m-more-of-a/) [Billy Squier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-squier/) > [Education is the methodical creation of the habit of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-dimnet/education-is-the-methodical-creation-of-the-habit-of-thinking/) [Ernest Dimnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-dimnet/) > [Methodical thinking is of more use in Chess than inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-purdy/methodical-thinking-is-of-more-use-in-chess-than-inspiration/) Cecil Purdy > [I remember sitting at the end of my mum's bed being fascinated by her ritual of getting dressed. It was a very methodical and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-williamson/i-remember-sitting-at-the-end-of-my-mum-s-bed-being-fascinated-by-her/) [Matthew Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-williamson/) > [Nothing helps make a leader more approachable than admitting your struggles, screw-ups and behind-the-scenes thinking on hard calls. If the leader makes this a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-weiss/nothing-helps-make-a-leader-more-approachable-than-admitting-your/) [Scott Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-weiss/) > [I travel regularly and have learnt to be very methodical as far as packing is concerned. For example, I always check the weather in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paloma-faith/i-travel-regularly-and-have-learnt-to-be-very-methodical-as-far-as/) [Paloma Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paloma-faith/) > [One thing I can tell you is this, that I am not a methodical writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/one-thing-i-can-tell-you-is-this-that-i-am-not-a-methodical-writer/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [It's almost comical that astronauts are stereotyped as daredevils and cowboys. As a rule, we're highly methodical and detail-oriented. Our passion isn't for thrills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/it-s-almost-comical-that-astronauts-are-stereotyped-as-daredevils-and/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [I've always had a 'Work hard, play hard' attitude to life - I still do - but sometimes you get involved in something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-ve-always-had-a-work-hard-play-hard-attitude-to-life-i-still-do-but/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [I still feel there are much smarter self-promoters out there than me. I am very methodical about my messaging, and I know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-still-feel-there-are-much-smarter-self-promoters-out-there-than-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I really liked the food in Japan. There is something so organized, neat, and methodical about it. They put a lot of care and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-cohen/i-really-liked-the-food-in-japan-there-is-something-so-organized-neat/) [Sasha Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-cohen/) > [After a great deal of discussion in Soviet literature about the correct definition of a combination, it was decided that from the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/after-a-great-deal-of-discussion-in-soviet-literature-about-the/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) ## More by Thomas Brooks > [Our sins are debts that none can pay but Christ. It is not our tears, but His blood; it is not our sighs, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/our-sins-are-debts-that-none-can-pay-but-christ-it-is-not-our-tears/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [Remember this-all the sighing, mourning, sobbing, and complaining in the world, does not so undeniably evidence a man to be humble, as his overlooking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/remember-this-all-the-sighing-mourning-sobbing-and-complaining-in-the/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [It is not he who knows most, nor he who hears most, nor yet he who talks most, but he who exercises grace most,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/it-is-not-he-who-knows-most-nor-he-who-hears-most-nor-yet-he-who/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [If it is not strong upon your heart to practice what you read, to what end do you read? To increase your own condemnation?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/if-it-is-not-strong-upon-your-heart-to-practice-what-you-read-to-what/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [An idle life and a holy heart is a contradiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/an-idle-life-and-a-holy-heart-is-a-contradiction/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [The two poles could sooner meet, than the love of Christ and the love of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/the-two-poles-could-sooner-meet-than-the-love-of-christ-and-the-love/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [Grace and glory differ very little; the one is the seed, the other is the flower; grace is glory militant, glory is grace triumphant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/grace-and-glory-differ-very-little-the-one-is-the-seed-the-other-is/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [It is our wisest and our safest course to stand at the farthest distance from sin; not to go near the house of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/it-is-our-wisest-and-our-safest-course-to-stand-at-the-farthest/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [Saints spring and thrive most internally, when they are most externally afflicted. Afflictions are the mother of virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/saints-spring-and-thrive-most-internally-when-they-are-most/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [Grace is given to trade with; it is given to lay out, not lay up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/grace-is-given-to-trade-with-it-is-given-to-lay-out-not-lay-up/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [A preacher's life should be a commentary upon his doctrine... Heavenly doctrines should always be adorned with a heavenly life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/a-preacher-s-life-should-be-a-commentary-upon-his-doctrine-heavenly/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [It is not the bee's touching of the flower that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time upon the flower that draws out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/it-is-not-the-bee-s-touching-of-the-flower-that-gathers-honey-but-her/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [“Meditate on the unique relationship between Christians. Psalm 133:1 proclaims the goodness and pleasantness of dwelling together in unity; there are some things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/meditate-on-the-unique-relationship-between-christians-psalm-133-1/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [God hears no more than the heart speaks; and if the heart be dumb, God will certainly be deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/god-hears-no-more-than-the-heart-speaks-and-if-the-heart-be-dumb-god/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [Truth is mighty and will prevail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/truth-is-mighty-and-will-prevail/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) [Explore all 151 Thomas Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) ## More Arithmetic quotes > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I am pretty good at arithmetic, and I know that the fight in front of us is a very, very steep fight. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-merkley/i-am-pretty-good-at-arithmetic-and-i-know-that-the-fight-in-front-of/) [Jeff Merkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-merkley/) > [Arithmetic has began to totter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottlob-frege/arithmetic-has-began-to-totter/) [Gottlob Frege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottlob-frege/) > [Economics is half psychology and half Grade Three arithmetic, and the U.S. does not now have either half right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-black/economics-is-half-psychology-and-half-grade-three-arithmetic-and-the/) [Conrad Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-black/) > [The cumulative weight of all mortal sins--past, present, and future--pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-cumulative-weight-of-all-mortal-sins-past-present-and-future/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Geometry, like arithmetic, requires for its logical development only a small number of simple, fundamental principles. These fundamental principles are called the axioms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-like-arithmetic-requires-for-its-logical-development-only-a/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [When I was at school, I was terrible at algebra and arithmetic, but I was always the best at English and literature. And acting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/when-i-was-at-school-i-was-terrible-at-algebra-and-arithmetic-but-i/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [“A goal of this book has been to tear down in some small part these barriers to understanding by attempting to shatter the “divinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-arnell-williams/a-goal-of-this-book-has-been-to-tear-down-in-some-small-part-these/) [G. Arnell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-arnell-williams/) > [Man is a rational animal—so at least I have been told. … Aristotle, so far as I know, was the first man to proclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/man-is-a-rational-animal-so-at-least-i-have-been-told-aristotle-so/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The mortal enemies of Social Security and Medicare are those who, in contempt of the plain arithmetic, continue to mislead Americans that we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-daniels/the-mortal-enemies-of-social-security-and-medicare-are-those-who-in/) [Mitch Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-daniels/) > [Arithmetic arithmetock Turn the hands back on the clock How does the ocean rock the boat? How did the razor find my throat? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/arithmetic-arithmetock-turn-the-hands-back-on-the-clock-how-does-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Long before I learned to do a sum in arithmetic or describe the shape of the earth, Miss Sullivan had taught me to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/long-before-i-learned-to-do-a-sum-in-arithmetic-or-describe-the-shape/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Arithmetic starts with the integers and proceeds by successively enlarging the number system by rational and negative numbers, irrational numbers, etc... But the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-robinson/arithmetic-starts-with-the-integers-and-proceeds-by-successively/) [Abraham Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-robinson/) > [The loony legacy of money was that the arithmetic by which things were measured had become more valuable than the things themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-loony-legacy-of-money-was-that-the-arithmetic-by-which-things/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 233 Arithmetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arithmetic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how elegant they may be; nor at the geometry of your prayers, how long they may be; nor at the arithmetic of your prayers, how many they may be; not at logic of your prayers, how methodical they may be; but the sincerity of them he looks at.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-prayers-how-elegant-they-may-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arithmetic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-prayers-how-elegant-they-may-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/thomas-brooks-2757_arithmetic_god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-pra_1625553.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/thomas-brooks-2757_arithmetic_god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-pra_1625553.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/thomas-brooks-2757_arithmetic_god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-pra_1625553.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God looks not at the oratory of your prayers, how elegant they may be; nor at the geometry of your prayers…” — Thomas Brooks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Brooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God looks not at the oratory...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-prayers-how-elegant-they-may-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/god-looks-not-at-the-oratory-of-your-prayers-how-elegant-they-may-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```