But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.
—Matthew 6:6
Man was created for fellowship with God. God made him in His own image, so that he would be capable of enjoying God, entering into His will, and delighting in His glory. Because God is the all‑pervading One, man could have lived in the enjoyment of this unbroken fellowship.
Sin robbed us of this fellowship. Nothing but this fellowship can satisfy the heart of either man or God. It was this fellowship that Christ came to restore. Fellowship with God is the consummation of all blessedness on earth as it is in heaven. This blessing comes when we experience the promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5), and when we can say, “The Father is always with me.”
This fellowship with God is meant to be ours all day long, whatever the circumstances surrounding us. The ability to maintain close fellowship with God will depend entirely upon the intensity with which we seek Him in the hour of secret prayer. The one essential thing in the morning watch is fellowship with God.
Our Lord teaches us the inner secret of prayer: “Shut thy door, [and] pray to thy Father which is in secret.” When you are in secret, you have the Father’s presence and attention. Of more importance than all your requests is this one thing: the living assurance that your Father sees you and that you have now met Him face to face. You are now enjoying actual fellowship with Him.
Christian, there is a terrible danger to which you stand exposed in your inner chamber of prayer. You are in danger of substituting prayer and Bible study for living fellowship with God.
Your needs and your desire to pray humbly, earnestly, and believingly, may so occupy your mind that the light of His countenance and the joy of His love cannot enter you. Your Bible study may so interest you that the very Word of God may become a substitute for God Himself. The greatest hindrance to fellowship is anything that keeps the soul occupied instead of leading it to God Himself. We go out into the day’s work without the power of an abiding fellowship because the blessing was not secured in our morning devotions.