Shut the Door

Can I tell you something about prayer that changed the way I start my day? Jesus never told us to pray louder, or longer, or with better words. He told us to shut the door.

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.Matthew 6:6 · NKJV

Picture that door for a moment. On one side is everything pulling at you: the messages, the worries, the list that never ends. On the other side is a small, quiet room, and the God of heaven waiting for you in it.

The door doesn’t keep God out. It keeps the noise out, so you can finally hear Him. The phone can wait on the other side. The fear about tomorrow can wait on the other side. In that room, it is just you and the One who already knows what you need before you ask.

He sees in secret

Nobody will applaud this kind of prayer. Nobody will see it. And that is exactly the point. The Lord who sees in secret is not looking for a performance. He is looking for you, the real you, with the door closed and the mask set down.

So tomorrow morning, my brothers and sisters, before the world has its say, find your door. A bedroom, a car parked in the driveway, a chair by the window before anyone else is awake. Close it, and meet Him there.