lifewords 3.22.11 the secret place of prayer

 

lifewords 3.22.11 the secret place of prayer   It was a privilege to pray for you this morning! You are greatly loved by God. The book of Matthew is incredible and rich regarding prayer. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus gives instructions concerning our personal prayer time. "When you pray,  go into your  room (your inner room, or closet, private place) and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father,  who sees in secret, will reward you openly."  How wonderful! An open invitation to meet with our Father in secret, closing the door on the business, usual activities, people and distractions of our daily life. "When you pray" means that as often as  we choose to draw near to Him in secret prayer, He will meet us.  Jesus says that the Father sees us in that secret place.  His ear is open to us in that secret place. His presence is available to us in that secret place. He  delights for us to come into that quiet place, away from the clamor, and meet with Him in prayer.  Intimacy always costs something, but is always worth the pursuit. The more desperate we are to meet with the Father alone, the more we will experience His abiding presence and learn how to pray.  He takes notice of our prayers in the secret place.  Oh He is urging us to more time with Him in secret prayer!   Jesus speaks of the results of  our secret time with the Father. He says that "the Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly." What type of reward?  Well, the context here is prayer. He is speaking of secret prayer. So the reward is very specific to prayer. I believe the reward is the manifestation of answers to prayer.  The answers to our secret praying will be seen openly.   Of course we can talk to the Father continually in prayer any time during the day and night.  The habit of meeting with others in prayer is also essential. But this secret place of prayer is on an entirely different level.  As we meet with Him regularly in the intimacy of that secret place, His presence will saturate us, and we will take that presence with us as we go about our day.  The reward is Him. The reward is His favor on our life, His wisdom displayed through us, His love manifested to the world through us. The reward is a manifestation of His will. The reward of our secret time is that His purposes are seen in our lives, others lives and in the earth.    Much time alone with the Father in prayer is the most valuable investment which yields the most valuable reward! Be intentional in making it a priority, then be jealous over keeping this time, for you can be sure  the enemy will do everything to keep you from it.         Praying for YOU, amy.   "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust.'" praying for YOU, amy