Praying to God in secret
When you pray, go into your room, and when you have
shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place… —Matthew 6:6
The primary thought in the area of religion is— keep
your eyes on God, not on people. Your motivation should not be the desire to be
known as a praying person. Find an inner room in which to pray where no one
even knows you are praying, shut the door, and talk to God in secret. Have no
motivation other than to know your Father in heaven. It is impossible to carry
on your life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer.
“When you pray, do not use vain repetitions…” (Matthew 6:7). God
does not hear us because we pray earnestly— He hears us solely on the basis of
redemption. God is never impressed by our earnestness. Prayer is not simply
getting things from God— that is only the most elementary kind of prayer.
Prayer is coming into perfect fellowship and oneness with God. If the Son of
God has been formed in us through regeneration (see Galatians 4:19), then He
will continue to press on beyond our common sense and will change our attitude
about the things for which we pray.
“Everyone who asks receives…” (Matthew 7:8). We pray
religious nonsense without even involving our will, and then we say that God
did not answer— but in reality we have never asked for anything. Jesus
said, “…you will ask what you desire…” (John 15:7). Asking means that our will must
be involved. Whenever Jesus talked about prayer, He spoke with wonderful
childlike simplicity. Then we respond with our critical attitude, saying, “Yes,
but even Jesus said that we must ask.” But remember that we have to ask
things of God that are in keeping with the God whom Jesus Christ revealed.
(Taken
from Oswald Chambers – “My Utmost for His Highest” September 16)