OUR FATHER WHO SENT HIS SON TO DO AND TO TEACH Part 9

Continuing to the second of the three spiritual practices that are to be pursued privately, the Lord Jesus urges His followers to undertake their prayer lives in secret.

Mathew chapter 6 verses 5 - 6 records the Lord's counsel on this matter.

5 “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. 6 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.

Describing the two ends of the exposure spectrum, Jesus starts with the side that seeks acclamation for the activity of prayer.

Labeled hypocrites, the people who publicize their pious prayers place themselves in strategic locations to maximize visibility.  Jesus said that the admiration they gain from other people for these practices is the extent of their reward.

At the other end of the spectrum is the practice of hiding away out of sight behind closed doors and praying to God in secret.  

In this secretive mode, we make contact with our Father who is Himself unseen and operates in secret and it is this intimate and sincere spiritual interaction for which the Father rewards His people.

Amen.

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