“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.” Matthew 6:6
Where is your favorite place to pray? Some people pray when they are lying in bed, some pray on their knees, and others like to be in a room all by themselves. Where should we pray?
We enjoy reading about Bible people who prayed. The Apostle Peter once prayed when he was on a rooftop. Other Christians often met down by a river to pray. Paul and Silas prayed when they were locked in a jail cell. In the Old Testament Gideon prayed while he was in the barn threshing wheat. We also remember the boy Samuel who spoke to God one night while lying on his bed. Jesus often went into the hills to pray.
Did you know that Jonah prayed from inside a fish? We enjoy the story of Jonah who tried to run away from God. Interestingly there arose a terrible storm that was about to capsize Jonah’s boat, so he asked the sailors to throw him overboard. Down he sank into the sea until he was eaten by a huge fish, and there he stayed for three days. Do you know what he did during that time? He prayed. This is what Jonah said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. But you LORD my God, brought my life up from the pit. I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you. But I, with shouts of grateful praise will sacrifice to you” (Jonah 2). The Lord heard Jonah and soon Jonah was spit out onto dry ground.
Where should we pray? Jesus suggested: “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” (Matthew 6:6). That is a great idea, but Jesus didn’t mean we can’t be elsewhere when we pray. Wherever we happen to be is a perfect place to talk with God. God will hear us if we are riding our bicycle, seated at a basketball game, in a rowboat fishing, or in the middle of the night. It’s our prayers that count, not where we are or what hour of the day or night. God loves to listen to us!
When storms of life are round me beating,
When rough the path that I have trod,
Within my closet door retreating,
I love to be alone with God.
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