Can You Keep A Secret?

“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. 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.”

Jesus warned us of the vanity of the Pharisees. Those who are self-promoting and crave recognition receive their reward on earth, not in heaven. Jesus isn’t saying we should not outwardly show our devotion to God. He is indicating something special. We know that salvation without works of faith and love is emptiness. We, in our salvation, want to serve God and His people. God draws us to His service. So, what then is Jesus talking about in secret?

Fellowship, worship, and evangelism are all necessary for God’s people. But so is a time of devotion. We all need our “secret” time with God. It is a time when we commune with God. As Jesus told us in Matthew 6:3, our prayers are not for others but for God. When we are alone with God, the Spirit works powerfully in us. We can be alone with and devoted to God in private. In my devotional time, I speak to God as though He were standing before me. Rarely do I ask for anything; to the contrary, it is a time that I offer God my worship and praise. I let God know I understand who He is to me, my creator, my Father, my savior, and my friend. I elevate God before me so His ears can hear that my place in the order of God is clear to me.

It is easy to display outward piety. One can do so convincingly and still be dead on the inside. It is much easier to talk the talk than walk the walk. The walk with Christ is not an easy one, and many are only fooling themselves. Being genuinely Christian requires outward works of faith. Paul tells us this in 1 Thessalonians 1:3, “remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” Paul also wrote in 2 Thes 1:11, “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.” Yet being a Christian requires internal disciplines of the heart, trust, and faith. Quiet time with God is necessary. When we do not have this time of devotion, we lose our intimacy with God.

There are ministries today that are self-serving. They are more about self-indulgence than self-control. Ministries designed for self-recognition rather than the recognition of God are man-centered ministries. Prayers in perfect King James speech meant to imply piety and holiness. Walls of certificates of Christian achievement, largest donations, and fasting displays meant to imply self-sacrifice; all the while, those holding these things still possess a heart of stone and are not in a relationship with God. Announcements of giving, fasting displays, and prideful prayer are a part of the fake ministries of today. There is no best life now. Our best life is yet to come. An eternal life gifted to us through our faith and devotion to our Lord Christ Jesus.

Work hard in the name of Christ but do it quietly, all the while giving the glory to Him for saving your soul from hell. Recognizing our place in creation is humbling. Trust me; we are not all that; we are much less. Peace.