Meditate:
But
when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your
Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
Jesus was teaching His followers on the
hillside above the Sea of Galilee. Imagine a warm spring day with a breeze
gently blowing off the lake. This going away alone wasn’t a new idea…doing
something privately, silently before the Lord God. Here are some Old Testament
examples. Please take time to look them up and read them in context. Jesus was
bringing the Scripture of the time, the Old Testament, alive to His followers.
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When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the
prophet's bed. He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to the
LORD. 2 Kings 4:32-33
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But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give
all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve. Jeremiah 17:10
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Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For
God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you
knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. Proverbs 24:12
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For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do. Job
34:21
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Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign LORD, for the awesome
day of the LORD's judgment is near. The LORD has prepared his people for a
great slaughter and has chosen their executioners. Zephaniah 1:7
In secret…private. Also look at Matthew
6:4. Jesus is telling His followers to do things that matter…praying and giving
alms in secret. Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. We
don’t need to be boisterous. Consider a parable that Jesus taught…not about
prayer, but about being humble. I think it applies to this idea of praying
privately.
Then Jesus told this story to some who had
great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:
"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was
a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:
'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't
cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that
tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' But
the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to
heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be
merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee,
returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be
humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Luke
18:9-14
Choose to pray quietly. The Lord can hear
you whisper as well as He can if you shout. He knows what you will say, before
you say it…but say it anyway. Pray in a quiet way…with just you and the
Lord…and see the results. Feel the love. That is the best reward of all. Love.
Isn’t that for which we all seek and strive? Love.
Prayer
~ Father…I seek You. In the quietness of this moment, I humbly come before you—sinner
that I am…repenting…and seeking Your forgiveness and Your love.
Verse
of Salvation ~ … Jesus began to preach, "Repent of your sins and turn to
God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near." Matthew 4:17
The message is still the same today… Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the
Kingdom of Heaven is near.
©
2020 Text and painting by
Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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