The Where of Prayer

Have you ever considered that God created us humans as "environmental" creatures? We prefer certain activities or experiences to take place in appropriate environments. For instance, we like it dark when we sleep, we find rest in the mountains, we feel awe in huge cathedrals, and food tastes better by candlelight.

At the same time, we experience a disconnect when we try to do the wrong thing in the wrong environment. For example, it's normal to see people in swimsuits at the pool or beach, but it would seem completely wrong to don nothing but a bathing suit at church or the grocery store.

The Right Environment

In Jesus' day, there were some people using prayer in the wrong way in the wrong environment. They made prayer simply a public activity, doing it for attention, rather than making prayer communication with God. Here is how Jesus explained it in Matthew 6...

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6:5, ESV)

Now, Jesus' words do not mean you cannot pray in public. There are numerous instances in Scripture of public prayer, including by Jesus. But when public prayer is the only prayer you are doing, and the goal of those prayers is to make everyone impressed by how spiritual you are, then you are putting prayer in the wrong place.

Rather, Jesus wants us to realize that prayer is about communicating with our loving Heavenly Father, which is why He contrasted verse 5 with these words...

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6, ESV)

There is something beautiful about private prayer. It is in the "secret" place where you can be more raw and honest before God, because you aren't having to worry about what others might think of what you are saying to a Holy God.

Before I close, let me give a couple of tips:

• Designate a chair or couch at home where you regularly go to talk with God.
• Consider pausing in your car before walking into work or school to pray.
• Come to the Riverwood building for 10-20 minutes on Tuesday mornings and find a quiet place in the Worship Gathering space or Lobby to quietly pray alone.
• Kneel down at your bedside right before climbing under the sheets to sleep or the first thing you do after your alarm has gone off.

Again, if you are part of a Growth Group, or doing coffee with a hurting friend, please pray with them. Prayer isn't only for the secret place. But let me encourage you to grow in private prayer, because that is often the place where God will do His deepest work on your heart, and how you'll be able to pray properly with others.