Living 4 Him

“Your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret and will reward you.”  Matthew 6:4 (CEV)

Discovering a secret place you didn’t know existed can be quite a thrill!  My maternal grandparents lived in a large 2-story house built in 1917.  In the room known as the “music room” there was a closet.  One summer my cousins and I discovered that the closet kept going! It stretched along behind the entire room and became the closet in my grandparent’s bedroom, like a closet hallway. Not only a terrific hiding place, but the perfect way to surprise someone who wasn’t expecting it!  The secret of the closet still intrigues me over 50 years later.

In the first 3 sections of Matthew 6, Jesus introduces the idea of doing our work for God in secret, not flashing ourselves before the world in order to draw attention, but quietly, humbly, connecting ourselves to the secret place in our soul where God resides in relationship with us.  Living from this secret place leads to pure intentions and ultimately fills the holes that develop in this world.  

In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus explains that giving to others is important, but it should not be done merely as a show of how good we are, but rather done secretly to show how good God is.  Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  Matthew 6:1 (NIV)

If we truly want God’s goodness to work through us, we need to be willing to surrender the space that belongs to God for his purposes.  Doing good to make us look good results in emptiness, however, sharing God’s goodness rewards our souls with joy, peace and love. 

The next verses (5-15) move us toward a sacred understanding of prayer.  Prayer is born of our relationship with God.  Going into a room, whether literally shutting the door or figuratively closing out distractions of the world, places God at the center of our hearts and minds where he belongs. When our full attention rests on God, our secret place opens more fully to God, ready to bond with his heavenly power. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

Jesus illustrates a powerful pattern of prayer by giving God honor, aligning our wishes with God’s plans, asking for daily needs, acknowledging forgiveness and accessing God’s protection over evil. (Note: This prayer, so vast and magnificent, will be discussed in depth as part of a devotion on the Prayers of Jesus later this summer.) What is most important for us to remember now is that prayer, while prayed with others and alone in our hearts, needs to start from the tender place where we are known and seen by God.  As our creator, he knows how to fill our secret place, and when we give him the full honor of sincere prayer, he will reward us. 

Jesus concludes this section with yet another reminder that fasting, abstaining from food for spiritual reasons, should be done as a work of the heart for the purpose of knowing God better. 

Deepening God’s place within our souls sounds as mysterious and intriguing as the hidden closet at my grandparents’ house.  But opening that closet holds a key for navigating the secret spaces inside ourselves.

1. Stay quiet. Whenever we were in the closet we stayed pretty quiet, in awe of the fascinating place.  The secret places in our souls are like that too.  Embrace  quietness to fully appreciate the holiness within our souls. 

2. Move slowly. The closet was not always easy to walk through and we needed to move slower, taking in the details of Grandma’s dresses and Grandpa’s neckties. Moving slowly through Bible reading, prayer, devotional time, appreciation of nature, or listening to inspirational music rewards us by feeding our souls exactly what they need.

3. Be led to a new place. The best part about the closet was starting at one end, traveling to the other end and arriving in a completely different place that we had started.  When we spend time in our secret place, soaking in God’s holy presence, we often find our souls led to a new place of understanding.

Secrets aren’t only for spies; live from your secret place with God who knows all secrets and has laid the perfect path for us to travel!

Reaching in (allowing God’s word to work in your soul):  Read through Matthew 6: 1-18.  Stay quiet. Move slowly. Be led to a new place in your soul. 

Reaching out (taking God’s word into the world):  Spend time with God, listening closely and let him speak secrets to you this week.