Notes of Faith May 15, 2025
Power outage from last night 11pm to 1 pm today. Sorry for the delay in the daily devotion.
The Quiet Time
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet.
Matthew 6:6, KJV
Karol Ladd said when her mother was growing up, she took Matthew 6:6 literally. “Mom grew up in Texas, and everything in Texas is big, including the closets. When Mom wanted to be alone with God, she went into her prayer closet. Her parents knew that if they hadn’t seen her in a while, they could always find her there.”
Newer translations render the word differently: your inner room… your private room… your inner chamber… a quiet, secluded space. The idea is finding privacy to spend time with the Lord. If we only meet Him when we have time or happen to think about it, our relationship with Him will be haphazard.
In order for God’s Word to be effective in changing our lives, we must make it a daily habit and an enriching appointment. We engage in talking to Him (prayer) and listening to Him (Bible reading). Remember, your connection with God is a relationship, and good relationships require time and tending. Tend to your relationship today.
Reading and studying the Bible is a basic requirement for the Christian’s growth, and happily it can be one of his most enjoyable experiences from day to day.
Irving Jensen
Matt 6:5-13
5 "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 "So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
9 "Pray, then, in this way:
'Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 'Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 'Give us this day our daily bread.
12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.']
I love the movie “War Room”! It is a great Christian movie about the power of prayer. God indeed, already knows our every need, but desires us to come to Him, to pour out our hearts, and for Him to use us in the very things that we are praying to Him about. I have not yet used a closet, but I tend to pray anywhere and everywhere and at any time. Sometimes just thoughts in my head, but I know God hears my concern. He is teaching me to pray and to grow in His grace and mercy through all of the interactions He puts me in. May we seek to be more like Jesus and always have a mind that communes with God!
Pastor Dale