Day 1. Secret Prayer
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"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. But when you pray, go into your closet, shut the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:5-6
One of the most important things we ever do in this world, is to pray. No business transacted anywhere, so deeply touches the interests of our lives. We ought therefore to learn to pray aright — so as to be sure of answer. We ought to be eager to get every smallest fragment of instruction about prayer.
In our verses for today, we have one of our Lord's plainest and most significant instructions about the manner and the nature of prayer. He is speaking, not of public prayer — as when the minister leads the congregation; but of personal prayer — when the child of God wants to talk to his Father about his own affairs — and lay his own individual burdens at His feet. We should seek to be alone in all such praying. Other presences disturb our thoughts and restrict our freedom. So, we are to go into our closet and shut the door!
This shutting of the door is significant in several ways. It shuts out the world. It secures us against interruption. It ought to shut out worldly thoughts and cares and distractions, as well as worldly presences. Wandering in prayer — is usually one of our sorest troubles.
Then, it shuts us in, and this also is important and significant. It shuts us in — alone with God. No eye but His sees us — as we bow in the secrecy. No ear but His hears us — as we pour out our heart's feelings and desires. Thus we are helped to realize that we have to do with God alone — that He alone can help us!
So we are shut up alone with God, so also are we shut up to God. There is precious comfort in the assurance that when we thus pray — we are not talking into the air. There is an ear to hear, though we can see no presence, and it is the ear of Heavenly our Father! This assures us of loving regard in Heaven, also of prompt and gracious answers to our sincere prayers.
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