Behind Closed Doors
Wearing nothing but underpants?
I pray dismally; I have the attention span of an adolescent gnat and I lose my train of thought when I pray in front of others. I couldn’t really tell you if I have a good ‘prayer life’ or not. Probably not.
I understand that I am to ‘go into my room’, as Jesus said, ‘close the door,’ and ‘pray to my Father’. But what does that entail? Do I squinch my eyes shut and direct my self-conscious word-thoughts towards heaven? Should I pray out loud for whatever or whoever pops into mind? Am I to pray as the Holy Spirit ‘leads’, and what does that even mean exactly?
On giving this instruction on prayer, Matthew records that Jesus, a Jewish rabbi, with Jewish disciples, was addressing his Jewish brothers in the Jewish Temple. That said, considering his audience, Matthew didn’t have to spell out what was to happen in your quiet room when you shut the door to pray. Everyone knew you would pray the prayers the Hebrew people had prayed for millennia; you would pray the prayers Jesus himself prayed; for the Psalms and much of the OT were memorized by the Hebrews as young children.
Any follower of Yahweh knew you would pray the Psalms; you would turn them over like smooth, familiar stones in your hand, each one recalling the faithfulness of Yahweh towards her stubborn, sad, distraught, and helpless people.
Most of us aren’t Jewish and so we would have loved Jesus or Matthew to give more concrete instruction, like, ‘Go to your room, close the door, and pray the Bible that hopefully you’ve memorized by now’. But he didn’t because the Jews understood that going into your ‘room’ without a physical (or memorized) prayerbook would have been like a soldier going out to battle wearing nothing but his underpants.
Because to the Jews, the idea that Yahweh had chosen them, the smallest and least of all the nations, to hear and see God’s word ignited shake Mt. Sinai was everything; it was why they revered Moses so much. They were the elect. Chosen. Predestined. The first-born son who was set to inherit everything. Israel was Yahweh’s cherished Bride, and his word to them a marriage certificate.
The Jews knew their purpose in history: Yahweh had called them to be a kingdom of priests and a light to the nations, and so the whole swath of his instruction, beginning to end, was to be constantly remembered, taught, obeyed, and prayed.
Through this lens, then, what might help to remember as we also go to our rooms to pray to our Father?
It is God who is always initiating communion. Where are you? What are you discussing together as you walk along? Why is your face downcast? Where are you coming from and where are you going? What do you want me to do for you? Do you want to be well?
God continually sings words of parental concern over his people. I have loved you with an everlasting love. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Why are you so afraid? Why are you crying? Who is it that you are looking for?
It is God’s speech that pours out wisdom, and his hand that saves. Yes, I am He. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it? Is my hand too short? Can you drink the cup I am about to drink? Have I not chosen you?
God’s voice whispers, thunders, and questions mankind. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Does this offend you?
It is God’s word that defangs Death and his will to create beauty from ashes. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Can these bones live? Do you believe I am able to do this?
God speaks to bring home many sons and daughters; He speaks so as to gather up the riches of his inheritance. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him! What is that in your Hand? Whom shall I send? What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?
God loves the humble, but opposes the proud. Have you never read the scriptures? But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Shalom to you and yours today, friends of God, struggling to pray, and hoping to dress rightly for battle. Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!
Go into your room and be still. Remember your purpose and be nourished by the same prayers as the Father nourished Jesus. Pray the Psalms and meditate on the whole swath of scriptures, the bread of heaven, for you and the household of God from age to age.
Jesu juva!
Kim