08/23/2023
Do you have a secret garden? You know, a secret place that you retreat to when you need to do some serious thinking? How about a quiet place where you go to be alone with God? Is it a place you can get to quickly and often? Is it away from all distractions? Do you begin your day there?
One of the most important lessons that Jesus taught His disciples was how to pray. They watched Him slip away to quiet places and pray, and they noticed that He often prayed all night long, but they wanted more... they wanted to know the secret of prayer. Little did they know that it actually involved real secrecy and more than that... succinctness. Listen as Jesus tells them how to pray before leading into what we call "The Lord's Prayer."
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Matthew 6:6-8 ESV
Prayer is not a show, a speech, a lecture, or the recitation of an ornate poem written by men for others to hear... it is a quiet conversation between oneself and God.
Do we feel like we are shortchanging God if in our passion we simply say “I love you” as opposed to reciting something akin to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet 43 “How Do I Love Thee?” Poems are for us to read and enjoy, but what do we whisper in our spouse’s ear in the heat of the night? What do we whisper when we are embracing God in our secret prayer? Isn’t it the quiet and heartfelt “I love you”?
“How Do I Love Thee” a recitation….. https://youtu.be/Ko5v18fXWqY
Have you ever been in a situation where someone rushed up to you and in a frantic voice began to tell you a long drawn out story about something terrible that is happening? Your first reaction is to stop them and say... get to the point... what is wrong!! The difference between ourselves and God is that He already knows what is wrong, so all of the verbiage other than the words "Help Me!" are so much filler. This is what Jesus is conveying to His disciples.
When we say "My Father" we have His undivided attention, we don't need to cajole Him or beg, He hears us immediately. All of the surrounding dialog around what we want or need is simply fluff. We are all guilty of this aren't we? Somehow we feel that if we just go straightway to the point we are shortchanging God in some way. It is as if we expect Him to listen to a long drawn out explanation of what He already knows.
One afternoon, my wife and I were on the interstate with my brother in law and his wife, and on the other side of the concrete barrier was a mother with a new baby standing in front of her car on the narrow shoulder of the fast lane. Cars were zooming by at breakneck speed and the danger was obvious. My brother in law took the very next off ramp so that we could turn around and help, and as he did I dialed 911. When the attendant answered I told her who I was, where we were, what the danger was, and that we needed a patrol car immediately. This is the information God needs from us, and the connection is great so there is no need to shout or convince Him to come... He is already there.
How often do you hear someone pray a prayer that is the equivalent to the Gettysburg Address being recited when all that is really required is a short "Help Us Father!"? It happens all the time and seems to be more prevalent in the one place where prayer should be fully understood... in church.
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector helps make this point. The Pharisee prays an argument regarding his worthiness of forgiveness, but the tax collector prays a simple and straight forward prayer of need and contrition… then Jesus says the tax collector’s prayer was more acceptable...
“But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'”
Luke 18:13 ESV
When we read the Lord's Prayer it is a set of very specific points, so when I read in scripture that Jesus prayed all night I am amazed... can you imagine the conversation? No oration, no chanting, just specific conversation about very real and concise issues. Can you imagine it? God the Father says "Go to the tomb but don't go in... just say Lazarus come out! Then I want you to"... do you see what I mean? No long drawn out explanation, just do this.
I begin each day in prayer, then read, and finally write my morning devotional. My prayers last quite a while, but they are in my quiet place and between God and me alone. I am not redundant, but I have a lot to cover, and in the midst of that litany of issues, God says shush, and speaks to me as well. No one hears our conversation but us, and there is healing and deliverance that results which no one need know about but the two of us. Remember the words of Jesus? “Pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
No... Prayer isn't about showing off your relationship with the Lord, or awing the congregation with your ability to speak in flowing oration, it is an intimate conversation that is intended to glorify God alone. Sure there is a place for corporate prayer, and most intercessory prayer is meant to make the conversation a three way chat, but the bulk of our prayer is secret. Is this how you pray, or do you need to alter your prayer life? When you hear scripture that says pray without ceasing, does that prompt you to walk down the street praying for all to hear, or quietly to God who knows your heart? Does it mean to stretch out your prayers into wordy requests, or to pray constant short prayers that hit the nail on the head?
The question of prayer simply boils down to this... is all of our treasure here, or is it in heaven? Are the rewards of our prayers already realized here on earth, or do they await us in the Kingdom of God? Where do we place your trust… is it in what men hear us saying, or in what God hears us praying?
So let’s consider our secret prayers today, and ask ourselves how we pray them when we are actually speaking to God, and not for the benefit of those who are around us? Let’s ask ourselves if our prayers are personal and to the point like when we whisper “I love you” in the ear of a loved one.
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
Matthew 6:5 ESV
Prayer:
Father I thank you for the quiet times of conversation we have through my prayers to you. I thank you Lord for the instruction of Jesus that leads me to the secret place where we can speak privately. Holy Father, let all who read your Word understand when and where to pray, and may they accumulate treasure in heaven through intimate conversation with you. Hallowed be your name Father, and may your kingdom come quickly, but most of all, may your will be done and may I conform to it. Praised be your name; now and forever.
Rich Forbes