But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:6 (NASB1995)
Secret personal prayer is a topic we see often in the gospel accounts of our Lord’s life on earth. He would often seek a quiet place in the early hours or in the evening to commune with His Father God. The disciples often awoke to see His empty bed. Through time, they knew that He was talking with His Father – this would be a lovely thing for our loved ones to know about us, wouldn’t it?
It is important for us to see the two uses of the word “secret” – it is an important principle of prayer. United prayer is important and beneficial in church or groups, but our Father wants personal time with us, too, where we can commune with Him regarding our needs and plans. This is highlighted in the final phrase, “… your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you,” which is first used in verse 4 with reference to giving to the poor/charity. It is repeated a third time in verse 18 regarding the practice of fasting.
Dear Reader, your good works, prayer, and fasting should only be between you and God, where possible. If we seek the approval of men, that will be our only reward. If we seek Father God’s approval in secret, He smiles on us from Heaven, and our reward is an eternal one.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
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