When comparing the Pharisees who loved to receive the praise of men, to those people sincere about seeking God and serving Him from a right heart, Jesus said:

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven …. 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matt 6:1, 5-6).

Jesus was not saying don’t pray in public! Scripture records Jesus praying in public. And after His resurrection, the early church met constantly for public prayer. However, Jesus was saying four specific things about prayer:

First: Don’t pray to be seen by others, impress others, or to receive their approval or praise. Human attention, popularity, or praise is temporary and if we seek it, it is all we will get. We will not receive it from the Father.

Second: and this was implied, rather than stated: Don’t be impressed by people’s ability to pray in public. Too often can be fooled by a person’s ability with words. This is a common tendency, a person who is good with words is attributed with far more than just a speaking ability. This includes many charismatic preachers who have woed and wowed crowds with their abilities, yet have been sorely lacking in personal, private, hidden character. Jesus is saying, do not be impressed by words or public demonstration.

Third: “Pray to your Father who is in secret…” (6:6). When we intention to seek God, it is in the private hidden places that we develop a relationship with Him. We need and love the public gatherings. We cannot do without them, actually. But it is in the privacy of the secret place with God that we truly grow deep in intimacy with Him.

This is not unlike a marriage where two people become intimate in the privacy of their bedroom away from the crowds, away from the party, and other distraction. If we only approach God in public moments, or on the go as we do other chores, we will remain at a very surface level of relationship with Him. To go deep with God, we must go to the SECRET PLACE. We must shut the door on everyone and everything else.

Fourth: “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (6:6). The greatest reward we can ever be given is the great pleasure of His company, His presence, His friendship. There is nothing like His friendship. Nothing in this world can compare. It is the greatest reward.

There is a time and place for all our public gatherings, they are important. When we gather as the family of God, we can have very spiritually-rich times together in prayer. But there is a very specific call away to the private, secret place with God. Being alone with just Him. Learning to be comfortable in His presence. Learning to be still. Feeling His embrace. Learning to simply “be” with Him. This is intimacy. This is where we begin to know Him.

Jesus gave sharp warning in Matthew 7 to those who run around the world doing things for Him, without knowing Him:

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matt 7:21-23, ESV)

(This is what it means to take the Lord’s name in vain!)

Jesus gives this warning both in kindness and with a seriousness so that we understand that we cannot take pride in or settle into things we think we are doing for Him, when we haven’t learned to simply be with Him.

Doing for Him is not the same as being with Him.

We show love Him and value Him over all other things in life when we intention our hearts to spend time with Him alone, free of everyone else, and everything else, in the secret place.

Let the SECRET PLACE become your FAVORITE PLACE.