Shade Tree Wisdom 3/13/14

          With so much easy access to others with email and cell phones and twitter and face book and who knows what else, it will seem out of step to talk about secrecy, won’t it.  

          But I want to say word or two about what Jesus said in His sermon on the mount. Jesus is talking about prayer and says, “And when you pray, go into your closet and shut the door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. And when you pray, use not vain repetition as the heathen do, for they think they will be heard by their much speaking. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him”, Matthew 6,6-8. 

          “Shut the door”, is His command. There are times when secrecy is better. In secret times we really can hear God best. 

          In such quiet times of meditation and prayer, we reveal to God our inmost needs, desires wants, cares and dreams. When we are undisturbed before our God, we will tend to do more than sort of pray a general prayer. We must take the time to look inward more deeply, and look to the needs and wants that we sort of shove aside because “God doesn’t want or need to hear that”.  He can and does , because He “knows before you ask.” 

          There is more to consider, but the general idea is to have such a place in our lives when we will be undisturbed, alone with our thoughts, and our God. If our Lord could, and did, spend entire nights in prayer, we can strengthen our lives and deepen our faith if we try to practice secrecy as Jesus laid it out for us. 

           So, may you find a place and the time for a bit of secrecy with your Heavenly father who loved you so much, He sent His Son to pay for your sins. 

GPD 3/13/14