July 31 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:5–8

Devotional

The Lord Jesus calls us to pray to God in secret. We are to pray behind closed doors, so that others do not observe what we say. This hidden seeking of the Lord is the first sign of new life. In the beginnings of spiritual life one realizes his own urgent spiritual need. When someone starts to see this need, he pours out his heart to the Lord behind closed doors. Behind those closed doors the sinner experiences forgiveness.

Prayer is very personal. The door must be closed as we pray. It may not be opened even a little. A supplicant wishes to shut out all the noise of this world. Matters here are so personal that a husband cannot accept the presence of his wife. Here a young man wishes to be alone. Even if the life of grace is glorified in the heart of a child, it will stammer its own words alone before the Lord. The inner chamber is most necessary. One cannot do without it.

Christ also needed hidden places for prayer. Often He withdrew Himself from the circle of the disciples to pray alone. He then closed the door behind Him to be alone with the Father. If the Son of man had need of these places, how much more then do sinners need the closet! Jesus had nothing to tell the Father which needed to be hidden from others. He did not have a single secret sin to confess. Christ never had to make reference to an evil deed, for He had no sin. How much more do we need the inner chamber? We have much to acknowledge that others should not know, and struggles that others do not understand. There is much iniquity to confess and to weep about. There are so many sins, wants, and cares that can be brought nowhere else.

There can be such blessed moments behind these closed doors. Even in darkness, light can shine in the inner chambers. Already during prayer, it can be experienced that all the wants are laid in the hands of the Father. There can be rich moments behind those closed doors. Here the least eloquent one does not lack words. Here the most eloquent one realizes that many words are not important. In the inner chambers one sigh can mean more than a thousand words. There one tear for God can mean so much. There people speak as children in simplicity and dependence. In the inner chambers the heart is poured out before God. That is the sinful heart, the wicked and corrupt heart. But there God sees the heart that desires, thirsts, and yearns for Him. Do you know this hidden life? Without this inner chamber you are unspeakably poor. You have no refuge, no place where your strength is renewed. Do you know these places? It may not always be light there, but you will experience that the burdens are made light. Those who know this hidden communion with God will later on not meet an unknown God. For they have learned to know this God in secret, in the closet, where heaven and earth are united.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.