He Knows Your Name…So Pray Like It!

Today (Sunday) I touched on something that I never realized in Matthew 6.

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)

What does it mean that God is in secret? You may recall that I said that we also see this word in Romans 2:28-29: “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.” (ESV) The word “inwardly” is the same as the word “secret” in Matthew 6:6. Paul is saying that you are who you are inwardly. Your outward appearance is just that–an outward appearance. It may, or may not, be reflective of the heart.

The only man who ever lived who had absolutely no distinction between his heart and his outward appearance is Jesus. In other words, you could take Jesus’ words and say them like this: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is who he is all the time, inside and out, never changing.” In theology this is call the immutability of God–the reality that God never changes.

Prayer takes us into the very heart of God. And he will let you know Him. This a tremendous thought. The king of heaven knows you and is willing for you to know him. How should this affect how you pray?

Pray intimately. Tell God your deepest needs and your greatest desires. Go into your inner room and be yourself with Him. He knows what you need before you ask him. A few months ago I was headed to preach at chapel at Fruitland. On my way, God sat down in the Jeep beside me (not physically of course). But his presence was so strong, his grace so great that I couldn’t stop crying. I was listening to this song. Let God speak to you too.