Where to Pray. . .

Do You Need A Prayer Closet?

Since the critically acclaimed and soul-stirring premiere of the movie, ”War Room,” Christians across the nation have been rushing to create their own prayer closet.

It is a beautiful concept. Maybe you are lucky to have a large, walk-in closet that you don’t need for storage or things like, you know, clothes. If so, you can add a chair or a floor pillow. Purchase sticky note pads in assorted colors to keep your prayers organized when you stick them on the wall. Maybe you can add soft, inspirational music. Now all you need to do is slip into your closet, close the door, and block out the world to have serious conversations with God.

Most of us are not this lucky. I don’t know about you, but I need every square inch of my limited closet space for storage. Also, I am more than a little claustrophobic, and I think this would seriously distract me from my conversation with God.

We do not need a special prayer closet to talk to God.

Matthew 6:6 is often quoted as a command to “go into our prayer closet” when we pray.  As is often the case, the verse is taken out of the context of the chapter. Matthew 6:6 begins with the conjunction “but.”
Whenever a verse begins with however, and, or but,  it is important to consider the verse before it. In this case, I think it is important to read from verse 1 of chapter 6.

6 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, 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.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
Matthew 6:1-8 (KJV)
 

It is clear that one of the main messages in this passage is that prayer should be a private thing before you and God. This does not mean we cannot pray in a group. Indeed, we are encouraged to do so.

“19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Matthew 18:19-20 (KJV)
 

Matthew 6 deals with “how’ we should pray. In particular, we are not to pray “as the hypocrites.” This is in reference to the Pharisees, who were pompous and full of pride. Their prayers were more to exalt themselves than God.
 

Have you ever seen images of the Western Wall in Jerusalem? Prayers are written on slips of paper and slipped into the cracks of the wall. As Jewish men pray before it, you will often see that they have their prayer shawl, or tallit (tall-EET,) pulled over their head. As children, they are taught that the prayer shawl covering them should make them feel as though the presence of the divine were upon them. You might be surprised to note that the tallit is their “prayer closet.”

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It is not where you pray, but how you pray.

Jesus guides us in the way we should pray. We should come humbly before our Heavenly Father. We should begin with praise. I personally think that too many of us forget that part.

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9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:9-15 (KJV)
 

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Writing our thoughts and prayer requests to God is important to most of us. Some, have visited the Western Wall and placed their prayers in the cracks of the ancient stone. Some create peaceful prayer closets and stick paper containing their requests on the wall. Still, others keep records in prayer journals. I am one of the latter.

There are too many lost and lonely people in this world who do not know how to pray, but when gifted with pen and paper they are able to pour out their heart.

Have you ever been asked to pray for someone and then, when you kneeled to pray, realized you had forgotten the person’s name? Don’t be embarrassed; it has happened to all of us. Most prayer warriors have devised a way to keep records of the people for whom they pray.

I believe that we should all have a prayer journal to carry with our Bible, in our purse, or inside our pocket. Because of the unavailability of prayer journals, I felt led to create prayer journals of different types. I believe we should also teach our children the importance of keeping a prayer journal. God’s Word says to train them up in the way they should go, and they will not depart from it.

Look for my prayer journals on this website, on Amazon, and on my author website at www.kimmariejohnson.net
I have also created a free prayer journal that you can download.

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Download a Free Prayer Journal here