Sunday, March 7, 2010

The Secret Place

“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.”
Matthew 6:6

Public worship is a wonderful thing; there is great comfort and fellowship to be found in being part of a community of believers bound together in worship, prayer, and service. But there comes a time for all of us when we must deal with God alone. We are to retire to a quiet place, close the door, and seek God in the secret place. The God who knows us better than we know ourselves, the God who knows all things,[1] will meet us there.

Apparently, the word which is most often translated as “closet” had a particular meaning in koine or common Greek. It designated a room in which family treasures would be kept. It would be a small room, centrally located, away from prying eyes. Treasures would be kept in this room when they were not on display, or when the family was not at home. It was a safe place. What better room in which to pray, and to be rewarded with the treasures of heaven - sweet communion with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the assurance, by the Holy Spirit, that we are indeed the children of God?[2] From this room we emerge, refreshed, clutching the fragrance of His presence and the promise of His peace.[3]

It is easy to become pharisaical and legalistic about the practice of private prayer. Yet, God requires no set duration for our devotions, no number of pages that we are required to read, no pattern to our words that must be repeated, exactly as written, and in a particular posture. To be sure, all of these things can be helpful in the spiritual discipline of prayer. But the danger is that we emerge from our closet satisfied with ourselves, instead of overwhelmed by our Savior. Prayer is an “act of righteousness.” It is an action, so it is capable of being misunderstood, or of being misused. But, at heart, prayer reflects a relationship. We enter into the closet, not so that we can say that we have done our duty, but in order to seek and to find the God who waits for us there.

Father,
In the rush of my days, and the many responsibilities that rob me of my peace,
help me to carve out a special time when I may meet with You.
Help me to leave my agenda outside the door,
along with my calendar, and in the quietness to meet with You alone.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen.

[1] Jeremiah 17:10
[2] Romans 5:5
[3] Numbers 6:26