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. Matt 6:6
Unseen.
What a powerful word. Many images come to mind when I think of something, or someone as being unseen. I see a poor child huddled against a wall in a third world country. I see a beautiful, but dusty old chair hidden in an attic. I see a middle aged woman typing on her computer in the kitchen with dreams unfulfilled. Oh wait! How'd I get in there?
All these images are negative in some way. To be unseen in this day and age is to be unimportant and irrelevant. In our video obsessed culture I wonder if all the "glory" we give to God, is the same as a hypocrite standing on a street corner in an ancient city (Matt 6:5). I wonder if when I post certain things, I'm really saying, Look at me. Look at the awesome things I'm doing for Jesus!
Here's another thing He said:
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. Matt 6:1
This morning, in my prayer time I realized, if I really want to be like my father, I need to be willing to remain unseen. I need to change the way I think about that word and the images I associate with it. I also wondered...Would we be actually be able to do miracles?
In my study Bible, Matt 6:6 cross references to a passage in 2 Kings 4:33: The prophet Elisha arrived at his friend's house to find her small son lying dead on his couch:
He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord.
He was able to give that boy, fully alive, back to his mother after he went in alone, shut the door and prayed.
Do you have a private place of prayer? Perhaps a little room somewhere with a door or a prayer closet? I'm thinking about changing my prayer place to one that's a little more private and I'd love to hear your thoughts or any ideas you have about special prayer places.
Living to please Him,
Erika
Hi Erika,
ReplyDeleteTurning off the music while driving with it quiet in the car has turned into kind of a prayer closet for me. And of course in the bathroom(;
...Hmmm 2 responses to your comment "Anonymous" - I know of only one woman who turns time in the bathroom into a Holy experience;) and in the bathroom, you want to definitely be "unseen". Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDelete