Hide and Seek
Today’s Verse:
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
As a child growing up, one of my favorite games that I played with my friends was hide and seek. Whether indoors or outdoors, we would have a fun time trying to hide ourselves and keep from being found. When I was the one doing the seeking, I wanted to do my best to locate everyone who was in hiding. Our devotion this morning is about a spiritual practice that involves us hiding and seeking. It is the important practice of hiding ourselves in a secluded place for the purpose of prayer.
There is an imperative directive.
“When thou prayest....” "Men ought always to pray...." Prayer is to be the first thing, the main thing, and the last thing that we do about all matters. It is presumed that we pray. It is an imperative that we pray. Think about how much of an insult it is to the God of Heaven if we do not pray to Him! We are to pray without ceasing. We are to pray many times during the day. We are to pray about everything. We are to be intercessors who pray for others on a daily basis.
There is the implied destination.
“Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door....” The closet speaks of a location removed from distractions. It is a place of complete seclusion from the people and things that could hinder your communication with God. It is a place where you meet with God one-on-one. It is a holy place. It is a frequented place. It is a place where we shut the door. We shut the door to our fears. We shut the door to our unbelief. We shut the door to our failures. We shut out everything that interferes with us getting a hold of God.
There is the impassioned desire.
It is in this closet where we pray to our Father which is in secret. It is here in this secret place where we pour out our heart to God. It is here where we unveil our heart’s desires. It is here where we pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. It is here where we exercise the admonition to watch and pray. It is here where spiritual battles are fought and won. It is here where we cast all our cares upon Him. It is here where we pray for great things to be done in faith. It is here where we call upon God to do great and mighty things. In this place, we present our cause to Almighty God and rest in His power to move on our behalf.
There is the imported delivery.
“...Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Answers to our prayer are the intended result. God’s hand has been moved on our behalf. People get saved. Sufficient grace is supplied. Trials are completed. Differences are resolved. Our needs are met. Physical ailments are healed. We become more like the Lord. Heaven has come down and glory has filled our soul.
One evening, a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn't know how to turn it on. As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, passersby noted his plight and said, "Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door." To the visitor's amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call.
Have you been to your prayer closet today? Designate a place where you can remove yourself from the distractions of life and, there, call upon the name of the Lord for your needs. Take time to “hide and seek!”
Have a prayer-filled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Exodus 7-9