When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. —Matthew 6:6
Jesus did not say, “Dream about your Father who is in the secret place,” but He said, “…pray to your Father who is in the secret place….” Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. We cannot seem to get our minds into good working order, and the first thing we have to fight is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is overcoming this problem of our idle and wandering thinking. We have to learn to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful, deliberate prayer.
We must have a specially selected place for prayer, but once we get there this plague of wandering thoughts begins, as we begin to think to ourselves, “This needs to be done, and I have to do that today.” Jesus says to “shut your door.” Having a secret stillness before God means deliberately shutting the door on our emotions and remembering Him. God is in secret, and He sees us from “the secret place”— He does not see us as other people do, or as we see ourselves. When we truly live in “the secret place,” it becomes impossible for us to doubt God. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else. Enter into “the secret place,” and you will find that God was right in the middle of your everyday circumstances all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless you learn to open the door of your life completely and let God in from your first waking moment of each new day, you will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if you will swing the door of your life fully open and “pray to your Father who is in the secret place,” every public thing in your life will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God.
Journal DJR
Good morning, Lord. Today Chambers hit on exactly what I’ve sensed that you have been teaching me, or trying to teach me these last several months. Since my cancer diagnosis, I have been sensing a “chapter change” in my life. This included the basics of research and treatment selection and improved diet and health habits, but mainly focused on, where am I to go next in my spiritual journey?…now that I’ve had this wake up call?” I have been led toward expanding my prayer life in many ways, through books, blogposts and conversations that have come my way and just an increased interest and draw in that direction. Today’s selection confirms what I’ve been hearing…. How do you do that, anyway?
I’m seeing two secret places. First is a physical location that is conducive to getting to the other secret place where You live, and want to commune with me… which is in my heart. Historically, I’ve been a little lax on having that special place, but I’m sensing your direction to finish up the tree house project that has stalled. Thanks.
That other secret place…”when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place” I had always assumed that secret place was in heaven or “out there” somewhere. But I’m becoming persuaded that this secret place is actually in my own heart – whatever that is. Verses like Colossians 1:27 come to mind.
“For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”
That part about “shutting the door” speaks to the thoughts and ideas that spring up and want center stage in my mind… especially when I determine to pray. So I’ll be looking for your training and tips on how to shut that door. I’ve proven that plain old will power doesn’t get me very far. There isn’t too much written about the contemplative life and meditation in our Western Church, especially in the last 500 years. But there is some. I’m seeing Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer as possibilities. Of course You are my main teacher. But don’t I need some coaching by some leaders who are further along the path? Please guide me on my search. I want to be led deeper into that secret place by anyone and anything that you have for me.
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