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. Matt 6:6
When we go into our room and shut the door, no one sees us, no one hears us but God. No one is present before whom to make a display or our devotion. No one is present to see our zeal, or compliment us on our well-rounded sentences. God is present, but not as a faultfinder always looking for a thing to condemn in us. God is present, as unlimited goodness, love, poise, peace, wisdom, strength. So all parade and self-applause, or self-vindication, should be left outside the closed door.
Prayer must never be a mere speech exercise. Prayer must be a living thing, born of conviction and enthusiasm. Every word must be white-hot with sincerity. Anyone who has really closed the door will feel that he is looking into the eyes of the infinite Christ, that He sees us and knows us thoroughly. Yes, it is a searching spot-alone in the presence of God.
When you pray, enter your room. When you have shut the door, shut out insincerity, shut out formality, shut out self and selfish interests. Then hear what God has to say.
The words of God are creative, powerful, energizing, illuminating, and he who comes from the room, having heard God’s words, will go out to confound the forces of wickedness and promote the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.
Oliver G. Wilson (excerpt from With Open Face. 1983)
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