Editorial October 12, 1987 Issue

The secret place of prayer

Ann Kenrick

In New Testament times some worshipers would go to great lengths to be sure that others would notice their piety. They would stand at street corners or in the synagogues and make a show of praying. Christ Jesus dubbed such men "hypocrites." Jesus had a simple approach to prayer. He taught his disciples a different way to pray. He said, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."^{Matt. 6:6.}

Clearly, Jesus' teachings emphasize the accessibility of God. In fact, he indicated that those who pray to Him as a loving Father could expect that He already knows their needs even before they speak and that He will supply those needs. God was not to be verbally implored but to be recognized as the source of all good. Jesus' approach to prayer was one of communion with a loving Father, in joy and expectation of good.

The Master may have chosen the word closet to signify the appropriate mental setting for prayer. The word helps us to visualize the inner "chamber" of consciousness, which needs to be closed to the world's clamor when we pray. Certainly in the bustle of our daily duties it is often quite difficult to find quiet moments for prayer. But whenever we're conscious of God's presence and love, we have a sanctuary. This consciousness of our unity with God is available to us anywhere.

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