Matthew 6:5-6 – Go Into Your Closet to Pray

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” 
—Matthew 6:5-6

Jesus is describing the practice of the religious leaders of the day to pray very openly and loudly in public places. Jesus calls these people hypocrites. The Greek word is transliterated as hupokrités, meaning one who acts, or performs a role. These people are not being themselves but are playing a character. Jesus knows that they are not sincere in their prayers. Their public display might be better described as a form of religious street entertainment. Rather than receiving their payment in money, they receive the admiration and respect of those who watch them. The Greek word here is misthos, meaning a reward or payment for services rendered. That is all they truly want from their spectacle, and Jesus tells us that is all they receive.

This is not to say that public prayer is bad. But whether done publicly or privately, prayer should be genuine and without ulterior motives. When praying on the public stage, it is tempting to forget our intent and to take for ourselves the glory that is intended for God. One way to ensure that our motives are sincere is to pray in secret. The Greek word used here is krypto, meaning something that is hidden, inward, or secret.

To help us, Jesus advises that we go into a hidden place. The King James Version of the Bible describes this place as our “closet,” from which later developed the term “prayer closet.” The Greek word here is tameion, meaning an inner room or a storeroom. And the root of that word is tamieion, which means treasury. Jesus wants us to go to that place, whether physically or spiritually, which is not seen by others. This is the place where we pray. Here we worship, here we cry, here we lift our requests, and here we receive God's blessing and comfort. Indeed, this should be a treasured place for us, our special time with God.

Jesus goes on to say that for what we do in secret, God, not man, will reward. The Greek word here is apodidómi, meaning to give up, to give back, to return, or to restore. When we pray as we should, God not only hears and answers our prayers, but he also refreshes and enriches us. Those having a rich prayer life may appear to others as energized. They seem to have something special that others lack, as indeed they do.

Do you have a real prayer closet? Do you have a physical place where you can go to be alone with God? In the time of the New Testament most homes had such a place, whether it was a small inner room, an upper room or just an open rooftop. Many churches have a prayer room, a place where believers might quietly sit or kneel, alone or with others. There they may praise, worship, give thanks, and give their requests and their burdens to God.

If you don’t have your own prayer closet, I encourage you to exercise your imagination and consider ways that you might create one. One example might be a space no bigger than 4-feet by 6-feet in dimensions. There might be a comfortable chair, perhaps a small table or desk, and a good light source for reading. There might even be a carpet or rug for those times when you need to lay prostrate before the Lord. There could be equipment for playing worship music, one or more Bible translations, materials for writing notes, a prayer guide, a world map, and reminders to pray for family, friends, church family, and missionaries.

For the younger or more high-tech reader, most of what I just described might be contained within your smartphone or tablet, and all you need is the location. For the rest of us, there are many simple, creative and economical ways to accomplish the job “old school.” Whatever your approach, I encourage you to find and to use your own “prayer closet.”

Father, I praise You for loving me. Forgive me when I forget that You are the focus of my prayer, not me. As I go about my busy day, help me to hear above the noise Your call for me to come to the secret place for our special time together. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

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