'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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close 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, NIV

 

Jesus teaches us to live as his disciples in the kingdom of God. In the formation of our faith, prayer plays a critical role. Yesterday we learnt that the prayer of the Pharisee, praying on the street corners to be seen by the public, is not acceptable to God.

 

Prayer is one of the most precious gifts that God has given us. We have the privilege to personally know the God who has created heaven and earth. He is so close to us that we may call him Father. We live in a familial relationship with him. In this relationship, he is available to us any time, night or day, we can speak to him whenever we want.

 

Jesus says the power of prayer lies in the relationship that we have with God. It is not supposed to be used to impress the people around us. We are invited to find a quiet place, “your room”, wherever we can have some privacy and alone time with God. We close the door, meaning we shut off our everyday existence for a while. We switch off our electronic devices and all outside voices, to focus on the presence of God. We give him our whole attention. In the quietness of our room, we make time to slow down, to become still and to listen to the Lord. We read from his Word, we open our hearts to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit. We answer him in our prayer. It is also good to keep a prayer journal, where we write down when God says something to us.

 

Through all the ages, this was the power source for the child of God, this daily time of devotion where we practise our spiritual disciplines. This is where we grow spiritually, this is where God shows us the way, this is where he empowers us to live a fruitful life today to his honour. He gives us the wisdom to recognise where we are being tempted and he answers our deepest questions in the silence of our prayer room. Jesus says that our Father sees our faithfulness in prayer and he rewards us for it. The most precious reward is to become aware of his love, his grace and his support for every day’s challenges.

 

Prayer: Lord, thank you that I am always welcome at your throne of grace! Thank you that you are always available to meet me in my prayer room. You want to build my faith, you want to strengthen me for all challenges I may face today. Help me to be disciplined in my prayer life, honouring our daily appointments with my presence. Guide me to know you better, and to love and obey you more. Amen.