PRAYERS IN THE CLOSET -- Monday:
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:6)
Just what is our "closet?" This word does not refer to "closet" in the ordinary sense of the word – a secluded place where clothing and other articles are stored. Even in the English, the word means "a small room for privacy, a secret chamber, and a place of secrecy and privacy" (Merriam-Webster). Thus those who wish to make private things public are said to "come out of the closet."
Our Lord is not teaching that all prayers are to be private, and never public. Jesus Himself prayed publicly (John 11:41; Matt 14:19). There were other times, however, when "He withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed" (Lk 5:16). These were prayers of another order, not intended to be heard by the people.
In our text, Jesus is contrasting effective prayer with pretentious prayer. It is preceded by a stern warning. "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward" (v. 5). The heart is to be enveloped with a consciousness of God, not of men. The commendation of the Lord is thus sought, not that of our peers.
Therefore, when Jesus says "when thou prayest, enter into thy closet," He means, "Get alone with God, where you are not distracted by people and things." Jesus Himself did this often, isolating Himself from the world. "He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God . . . And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray . . . He departed again into a mountain himself alone . . . And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives" (Lk 6:12; Matt 14:23; John 6:15; Lk 21:37).
When the purpose is to draw close to God and pray, there is a great liberty in solitude. The entanglements of life do not wrap about us so easily during such times. In our "closet," the sights and sounds of earth do not compete so strongly with the expression of our hearts. Our hearts are more free to express themselves, and we are more prone to cast our burden upon the Lord. Also, during these seasons, we discover the extent of our familiarity with the Lord, and how close we are to Him.
When we "shut the door," we purposely refuse the entrance of distracting influences. While this does take considerable effort, faith enables us to do it. When earthly considerations are circling about in our minds, they tend to neutralize our prayers. How we need grace to "shut the door," refusing to allow them to distract us from our prayers.
Jesus holds out a very wonderful promise to us concerning such prayers. "Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." The desire for public recognition is properly honored by God alone. He will "avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them" (Lk 18:7). They will also be upheld before all men, and sustained by His grace in great trials. Their fervent and effectual prayers will avail them much (James 5:16).
There is certainly place for public prayers (1 Tim 2:1), and for praying for one another (1 Kgs 13:6; Eph 6:18-19; James 5:16). But there is also need for growth in the matter of private prayers, where great resolutions cam be made, and unusual blessings can be obtained – prayers from the closet, with the door shut.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, teach me the art of praying in solitude, when none but You are in my mind, and no purpose but Yours is on the throne is on my conscience.