PRAYER! THE MOST UNIVERSALLY PRACTICED YET LEAST UNDERSTOOD OF HUMAN EXPERIENCES, PRAYER IS ONE OF THE GREAT MYSTERIES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.
THE SIMPLEST DEFINITION OF PRAYER IS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD. THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE WORD “WITH” BECAUSE PRAYER IS NOT ONLY COMMUNICATION WITH GOD, BUT COMMUNION WITH GOD IN A PERSONAL AND INTIMATE WAY.
PRAYER IS NOT TALKING “AT” GOD AS IF WE ARE SIMPLY GATHERING A WISH LIST AND SENDING IT UP TO HEAVEN AS A “VERBAL E-MAIL” FOR GOD TO CONSIDER.IT HAS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE ABOUT INTERACTING WITH GOD PERSONALLY.
PSALM 145:18, SAYS THAT “OUR PRAYERS BRING US INTO GOD’S PRESENCE.” SO, WHETHER WE STAND, LIE DOWN, OR KNEEL TO PRAY; CLOSE OUR EYES AND REMAIN SILENT OR WALK AROUND AND TALK OUT LOUD, WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT WE ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND THAT HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO US, TOO.
ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL WAY TO LOOK AT PRAYER WAS WRITTEN BY PASTOR STEVE MALONE, WHO SAID, “PRAYER IS COMING INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD…PRAYER IS ENTERING THE THRONE ROOM OF THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS…PRAYER IS TAKING OUR CONCERNS TO THE ONE WHO CARES FOR ME PRAYER IS TO STAND ON HOLY GROUND…PRAYER IS COMMUNICATING WITH THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD…PRAYER IS A CHILD TALKING TO HIS FATHER…PRAYER IS BRINGING OUR HURTS TO THE FATHER OF COMPASSION AND THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT…PRAYER IS REACHING OUT TO OUR REDEEMER…PRAYER IS CRYING OUT TO THE ROCK THAT IS HIGHER THAN WE ARE...PRAYER IS CALLING OUT TO THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE US…PRAYER IS TOUCHING THE ONE WHO LOVES US WITH AN UNFAILING & UNQUENCHABLE LOVE…PRAYER IS BRINGING OUR QUESTIONS TO THE ONE WHO HAS THE ANSWERS...PRAYER IS REACHING OUT TO THE NEVER; TIRED, CONFUSED, AFRAID OR TAKEN BY SURPRISE GOD…PRAYER IS CONNECTING OUR LIVES WITH THE ALL KNOWING, ALL PRESENT – AND ALL POWERFUL KING OF KINGS…PRAYER IS COMING NEAR TO GOD…."
IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I FEEL THAT IF I AM COMING INTO GOD’S PRESENCE AND WILL BE DIRECTING MY ENERGIES ON COMING NEAR TO HIM, I WOULD WANT FREE MYSELF OF ANYTHING THAT COULD DISRUPT THIS OR DISTRACT ME FROM IT.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY JESUS PUT SUCH EMPHASIS ON PRAYER IN OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE TODAY. JESUS TELLS US THAT WHEN WE PRAY, WE NEED TO “GO INTO OUR ROOM” BY OURSELVES, “SHUT THE DOOR” BEHIND US, AND PRAY TO OUR FATHER SECRETLY.
JESUS NOT ONLY TEACHES THIS MODEL OF PRAYER, BUT LIVED IT AS MARK 1:35, SAYS, “VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK, JESUS GOT UP, LEFT THE HOUSE AND WENT OFF TO A SOLITARY PLACE, WHERE HE PRAYED.”
SO, WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN? WHAT’S THE SECRECY AND THE PRIVACY ALL ABOUT? WELL, LET ME FIRST TELL YOU WHAT IT IS NOT! IT IS NOT A STATEMENT AGAINST PUBLIC PRAYER NOR IS IT A WARNING AGAINST REPEATING OUR PRAYERS.
WITH THAT SAID, I THINK IT IS JESUS WANTING US TO KEEP OUR MOTIVES FOR PRAYING IN CHECK. IT IS THE SIMPLE TRUTH THAT WHY ONE PRAYS WILL DETERMINE HOW ONE PRAYS.
IN OTHER WORDS, OUR MOTIVE FOR PRAYING MUST BE SEEKING COMMUNION WITH OUR FATHER. IT CANNOT BE A ONE-SIDED CONVERSATION THAT IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN EMPTY RECITATION OF WORDS AND STATEMENTS.
THAT IS WHY TODAY’S MESSAGE IS ENTITLED “SHUTTING OUR DOORS TO PRAY,” SO THAT WE CAN EXPLORE THIS INTRIGUING PASSAGE THAT PLACES EMPHASIS ON GETTING AWAY FROM THE EVERY DAY DISTRACTIONS SO THAT WE CAN SEEK PRIVACY, SECRECY, AND INTIMACY WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IN PRAYER.
WITH SUCH PRAYER, WE ARE TOLD TO GO INTO OUR ROOM OR AWAY BY OURSELVES. THE GREEK WORD “TAMEION” WHICH MEANS “STOREROOM” REFERS TO A PLACE THAT AFFORDS PRIVACY.
IN JEWISH CULTURE, A “STOREROOM” WAS ONE OF THE INNER ROOMS OF THE HOUSE THAT WAS NOT ONLY SECLUDED AND PROBABLY WINDOWLESS, BUT THE ONLY DOOR IN THE HOUSE THAT HAD A LOCK ON IT.
A “SECRET PLACE” IS THE PERFECT PLACE. A SECRET PLACE FREE OF INTERRUPTIONS AND DISTRACTIONS. A PERFECT PLACE THAT AFFORDS BOUNTIFUL CONCENTRATION!
YES, IT IS NICE TO BE ABLE TO PRAY WHILE DRIVING TO WORK OR WHILE WALKING AROUND THE MALL. PRAYER IS ALSO A GREAT ASSET WHEN STANDING IN LINE AT THE STORE OR WHILE WATCHING TV OR RELAXING TO THE SOUNDS OF A FAVORITE CD/RECORD.
PRAYER IS ALSO A POWERFUL SOURCE WHEN YOU SEE AN AMBULANCE BLAZING DOWN THE STREET WITH LIGHTS AND SIRENS TO PRAY FOR THOSE ABOARD AND ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL OR PRAYING SILENTLY FOR PARENTS WHO SEEM TO BE STRUGGLING TO PACIFY A CRYING BABY OR NOTABLY STRESSED WITH TRYING TO CONQUER A RAMBUNCTIOUS TODDLER.
BUT WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE AND WHATEVER OPPORTUNITY ARISES FOR US TO PRAY FOR, THERE STILL MUST COME A TIME WHERE WE STEP OUTSIDE THE WORLD AND FIND A SOLITARY PLACE TO COMMUNE WITH OUR FATHER.
A TIME WHEN THE T.V. IS OFF AND THE RADIO OR STEREO IS NO LONGER PLAYING TO EVEN PROBABLY TURNING OFF THE RINGER ON THE PHONE AND LETTING THE ANSWERING MACHINE DO ITS JOB. A TIME AND A PLACE FREE OF INTERRUPTIONS WHERE WE CAN SPEND QUALITY TIME AND QUANTITY TIME WITH GOD OUR CREATOR.
THE BEAUTY OF HAVING THAT PRIVATE TIME IN PRAYER WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CORRECT WORD USAGE OR POLITICAL CORRECTNESS LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO IN A PUBLIC CHURCH SERVICE.
PRIVATE PRAYER ENABLES A BELIEVER TO POUR OUT THEIR HEARTS TO GOD. PRIVATE PRAYER GIVES THE BELIEVER THE SAFETY THEY NEED TO EXPRESS THEIR TRUE FEELINGS.
PRIVATE PRAYER ALSO GIVES A BELIEVER MASTERY OVER THEIR TIME SO THAT THEY CAN BE STILL IN ORDER TO TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN IN THE QUIETNESS FOR GOD’S ANSWER.
WE MUST BECOME QUIET AND SET ASIDE TIME IN ORDER TO GET BEFORE OUR LORD GOD TO WALK INTIMATELY WITH HIM IN A TIME OF PRAYER. SIMPLE PUT: NOTHING OF ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE HAS EVER BEEN ACCOMPLISHED APART FROM PRAYER.
THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH INTIMATE PRAYER WARRIORS SUCH AS ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB WHO ALL “PRAYED TO THE LORD.” MOSES MET WITH GOD MANY TIMES IN HIS STRUGGLES WITH PHARAOH. HANNAH’S PRAYER IN 1 SAMUEL 2, IS A SONG VERSED FROM THE INTIMACY OF PRAYER. ELISHA IN 2 KINGS 4 RAISED A DEAD BOY TO LIFE BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF PRAYER.
SO WHETHER IT’S JONAH’S PRAYER FROM THE BELLY OF A WHALE, DANIEL’S ENTREATY FROM THE DEN OF LION’S OR JESUS HIMSELF GOING OUT TO LONELY PLACES AND EVEN UP INTO THE SOLITARY ELEVATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS TO PRAY, TALKING WITH GOD IS CRITICAL TO AND CENTRAL FOR EVERY BELIEVER.
DON’T WORRY WHAT TO SAY OR GET CAUGHT UP IN HOW TO SAY IT, BUT THAT YOU SIMPLY HAVE TIME TO PRAY. A STORY WAS TOLD OF A GRANDFATHER WHO WAS WALKING THROUGH HIS YARD WHEN HE OVERHEARD HIS GRANDDAUGHTER REPEATING THE ALPHABET IN A TONE OF VOICE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A PRAYER.
HE ASKED HER WHAT SHE WAS DOING. THE GIRL EXPLAINED: "I’M PRAYING, BUT I CAN’T THINK OF EXACTLY THE RIGHT WORDS, SO I’M JUST SAYING ALL THE LETTERS, AND GOD WILL PUT THEM TOGETHER FOR ME, BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHAT I’M THINKING."
ROMANS 8:26, “AND THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US IN OUR DISTRESS. FOR WE DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR, NOR HOW WE SHOULD PRAY. BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYS FOR US WITH GROANINGS THAT CANNOT BE EXPRESSED IN WORDS. AND THE FATHER WHO KNOWS ALL HEARTS KNOWS WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING, FOR THE SPIRIT PLEADS FOR US BELIEVERS IN HARMONY WITH GOD’S OWN WILL.”
I CANNOT EMPHASIZE IT ENOUGH THAT PRAYER IS CRUCIAL, BECAUSE IT GOES TO THE HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP; A LOVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US AND GOD THROUGH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
PRAYER IS BOTH THE EXPRESSION OF THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THE MEANS BY WHICH WE MAINTAIN AND INTIMATELY DEEPEN THAT RELATIONSHIP. IF THERE’S NO PRAYER, THEN THERE IS A VERY LIKELY CHANCE THAT THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP. IF THERE IS VERY LITTLE PRAYER, THEN AT BEST THERE IS VERY LITTLE RELATIONSHIP. IT IS TRUE AS IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT“SEVEN DAYS WITHOUT PRAYER MAKES ONE WEAK.”
PRAYER IS THE EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE FOR GOD, THE EVIDENCE OF TRUE SPIRITUAL LIFE. PRAYER IS ALSO THE MEANS BY WHICH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS STRENGTHENED AND THE MEANS BY WHICH WE COME TO EXPERIENCE HIS POWER WORKING IN AND THROUGH US.
AS CHRIST TAUGHT IN JOHN 15:4-5: "REMAIN IN ME, AND I WILL REMAIN IN YOU. NO BRANCH CAN BEAR FRUIT BY ITSELF; IT MUST REMAIN IN THE VINE. NEITHER CAN YOU BEAR FRUIT UNLESS YOU REMAIN IN ME. "I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. IF A MAN REMAINS IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT; APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING."
THERE IS NO LIFE AND NO POWER APART FROM A CONTINUAL, INTIMATE CONNECTION WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. PRAYER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEANS OF MAINTAINING THAT CONNECTION. A CONNECTION MADE SPIRITUALLY SECURE IN THE SECRECY AND PRIVACY OF “SHUTTING OUR DOORS TO PRAY.”
