Privacy. The word has taken on many connotations in our society, and to a certain extent, we even have a right to it based upon the "penumbras" of the 14th Amendment, or so we are told. Yet privacy is vital to a healthy prayer life.
Christ made a point of withdrawing from the crowds and even his disciples in order that he could seek and commune with the Father in privacy. See, e.g., Luke 5:16 ("But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."); Mark 1:35 ("Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."); Matthew 14:23 ("After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone"). In fact, Christ was quite direct on this point:
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 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. 6:5-6.
The obviousness that a private area affords is quietness and minimum distractions. A private area given to prayer also serves as a means of preparing one's mind, spirit, and soul with direct communication with the Almighty--who is worthy of all reverence. A private area also affords one the best opportunity to clear one's mind, to free one's thoughts from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Yet, it is the solitude of a private prayer setting that provides one with the greatest opportunity of all. Namely, the opportunity to listen. Not to speak aloud, but to listen. It is this aspect of a spiritual walk, the willingness to listen, that makes privacy a must in one's prayer life.
Christ took very seriously His pursuit of the Father's will. In order to do so, He at times was forced to withdraw to settings of solitude. We, mere creations of His, ought to seriously consider doing the same.
Soli Deo Gloria
Christ made a point of withdrawing from the crowds and even his disciples in order that he could seek and commune with the Father in privacy. See, e.g., Luke 5:16 ("But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."); Mark 1:35 ("Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."); Matthew 14:23 ("After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone"). In fact, Christ was quite direct on this point:
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 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. 6:5-6.
The obviousness that a private area affords is quietness and minimum distractions. A private area given to prayer also serves as a means of preparing one's mind, spirit, and soul with direct communication with the Almighty--who is worthy of all reverence. A private area also affords one the best opportunity to clear one's mind, to free one's thoughts from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Yet, it is the solitude of a private prayer setting that provides one with the greatest opportunity of all. Namely, the opportunity to listen. Not to speak aloud, but to listen. It is this aspect of a spiritual walk, the willingness to listen, that makes privacy a must in one's prayer life.
Christ took very seriously His pursuit of the Father's will. In order to do so, He at times was forced to withdraw to settings of solitude. We, mere creations of His, ought to seriously consider doing the same.
Soli Deo Gloria
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