When thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee.
—Matthew 6:6
Have you ever thought what a wonderful privilege it is that everyone each day, and each hour of the day, has the liberty of asking God to meet them in the inner chamber to hear what He has to say? We imagine that every Christian uses such a privilege gladly and faithfully. But how many really do take advantage of the privilege?
“When thou prayest,” said Jesus, “enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret.” This means two things. First, shut the world out and withdraw from all worldly thoughts and activities. Second, shut yourself in alone with God to pray to Him in secret. Let this be your chief aim in prayer: to realize the presence of your heavenly Father. Let your watchword be, “Alone with God.”
This is only the beginning. As you take time to realize His presence with you and to pray to “thy Father which seeth in secret,” you can do so in the full assurance that He knows how you long for His help and guidance, and that He will incline His ear to you.
Then follows the great promise: “Thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee.” The Father will see to it that your prayer is not in vain. All through the activities of a busy day, the answer to your prayer will be granted. Prayer in secret will be followed by the secret working of God in your heart.
The Lord Jesus has given us the promise of His presence, and He shows us the way to the inner chamber. Therefore, He will surely be with us to teach us to pray. It is through Him that we have access to the Father. (See John 14:6.) Be childlike and trustful in your fellowship with Christ. Confess each sin; bring your every need. Offer your prayer to the Father in the name of Christ. Prayer in fellowship with Jesus cannot be in vain.