Doors & Gates 14

This post is Day 14 in a series of studies about “Doors & Gates”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).


Doors & Gates – Day 14

Matthew 6:6

When you pray go into your room and close the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The Thought

We looked at this verse on Day 9 of this study, but it can always stand a second look. It is the introduction to Jesus’ teaching on prayer, when He gave His disciples what we now call the Lord’s prayer. I always find it interesting that Jesus tells us to go somewhere private and close the door, when in fact this prayer must be the most frequently used by groups in churches all across the world, particularly the more traditional churches.

Of course there is a time for corporate prayer wherever it happens, but the most intimate moments in life happen behind closed doors, and prayer can be very intimate when we meet with Jesus and/or His Father and/or Holy Spirit behind closed doors with no-one else around. It is a time to bare our hearts, a time to speak secrets, a time to confess things no-one else knows.

Notice that Father God will reward those who are obedient in this. How do you suppose He does that? In verse 8 of this chapter, just before we get into the actual words of the prayer, Jesus tells us that our Father God knows what we need before we ask. We could almost respond to that by saying “So what is the point of praying?”

Prayer is a conversation with God who is looking for an intimate relationship with each one of His children. That’s what helps us to get to know Him better.

Action

Be obedient to this verse today; find a space apart from others, and chat to your Father God just as you would to your daddy. If you come from a happy healthy family that will be fairly easy to do, if not then imagine Jesus as your best friend (which He is) and chat to Him instead.

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