Ready:
“Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” – Matthieu 6:5-6
Set:
Anyone who knows anything about the sport world would agree that the locker room is not opened to the public. It is a hallowed place that belongs specifically to the athletes on the team, the coaches and the athletic trainers. This place is hallowed because it’s where plays and strategies are spoken of, and team chats are given. It is a safe place for communication between the coaching staff and the players.
In our verses for today, Jesus gives the disciples (and us) a look into what locker room talks should look like with the Coach (God). It’s a private moment. The door is shut and we’re praying to the Father. It’s not about an outward display of our requests. It’s a quiet, private and humble conversation in the secret. A safe place where you can be real with the God who loves you. A place where you can be honest with the Coach about your shortcomings, your fears, your struggles, your understanding of the plan before you and your joys. It’s a place where you truly get to know the heart of God without all the extra noise and distractions of the crowd and others.
The locker room is the secret place for a team and its coaching staff. For a Christian, our secret place could be anywhere; it doesn’t have to be a bedroom. My secret place is a specific spot on my family’s farm: a spot under an oak tree overlooking a field. I knew there I could pray to my Father who was in secret. It became what I looked forward to everyday when I got home from school.
We might not have control over the places we live in, but God always provides a hallowed, secret place for us to spend uninterrupted time with Him. He is the Coach who wants to meet intentionally and personally with those on His team. May our prayer time with Him go deeper than just our public pre- and post-game prayers. May our hearts long for the secret place with Him.
Go:
Do you have a secret place to spend time with the Father?
How can you implement a daily withdrawing into the secret place with God in prayer?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You would draw me into the secret place. I pray my heart wouldn’t be satisfied or distracted with the busyness of my schedule. I want to want that special time with You in the secret place. Please change my desires. In Jesus’ name, amen.”