Today’s Scripture: Matthew 6:18, NIV- “so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
I love how the Spirit of God directs us. When we experience God, we realize how little control we have over our lives.
However, we can control whether we go and meet with our Heavenly Father in secret or not. Some may say, Tom, if this is to be in secret, why are you writing about your prayers and putting them on the world wide web? Are you doing what Jesus warned against in Matthew 6:5, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” (NIV)
Just this morning, I was first directed to Luke the twelfth chapter following a lesson in Celebrate Recovery. Because of my weak memory, I felt led to go back to the beginning of Luke to make sure I had the proper context. In Luke 1:1-4 Luke assures us that He was writing an orderly account of what He had carefully investigated.
In Luke 1:4, Luke told us why he investigated and wrote; “so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” (NIV) That’s it, I thought, this is why I keep writing. I do want others to know the certainty that I have found. Because, when I began this Affirmation of God journey, I had doubts. Doubts about God being real and doubts about the value of trusting in the Word of God.
The God that I began meeting with in secret has rewarded me with heavenly awe that has removed all doubt. You just cannot make up all the uncertain happenstances that have occurred and this has made me certain.
I can also assure you that I am a hypocrite. I will let you in on my secret prayers this morning, only so you may know the certainty of God, I was confessing and asking Jesus to help me live for God with ALL of me as He did because I do not.
I read this morning in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)
We do find the rewards of our heavenly Father as we learn to pray as Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:9-13. Praying this prayer, I have found that God gives me more questions than answers. However when I rise and go to God’s Word, I receive his rewards and commands. I am certain that this is the process of finding the treasures of heaven and our hearts as promised in Matthew 6:21.
As Matthew 6:22 directs us, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” (NIV) We must be careful where we look. We must be quick to turn our gazes back to God when we are interrupted by our own human nature.
God has proven to me that when we enter our closets and shut everything and everyone else out and pray secretly and personally to our Father in Heaven, we find, without a doubt, that He hears us and that He rewards us.
I am praying that if you are still uncertain that you will certainly set aside a time and place to look to God, pray with Him as Jesus did, and read His commands and experience His rewards.
Today’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for welcoming us into Your light. Please turn our gaze and focus upon You. Thank You LORD for Your Holy Spirit that directs our hearts and minds to Jesus. Jesus please continue to teach us to live as You lived on this earth. Please fill us with Your certainty. You, Lord Jesus, are our reward. Amen.
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