“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.
Matthew 6:5-6 (ESV)
Jesus began this teaching on prayer by telling us how not to pray. Do not pray like the hypocrites. People who loved to pray on the street corners and in the synagogues. Who wanted people to see them praying long, eloquent prayers. People who were essentially showing off, seeking the admiration of others.
Living in a secular society today, this might seem strange to us. If we see someone loudly praying on a street corner, we might be inclined to think it strange. But it would not have been strange at all in first-century Palestine. For the Jews, the sacred and secular were tightly integrated. Seeing someone practice their faith in such a public way would not have seemed out of place at all. They might even be admired.
And that seemed to be the motivation for many who prayed on the street corners—to be seen by others and receive their praise. And that is why Jesus called them hypocrites. They were praying for the applause of people, not to God—it was a performance. One that God has no interest in.
A Closet
In contrast, Jesus told us that if we are really interested in God hearing and responding to our prayer, we should shut ourselves in a room and pray in secret. What most translations refer to as a room, the KJV identifies as a closet. And the expression “prayer closet” comes from that. But what you call it is not as important as having and using that space. Get alone and talk with God. It will make a difference in your walk with him.
Does it have to be a room where you can be alone? No. My “prayer closet” is walking through my neighborhood in the early morning hours. It is quiet and dark with minimal distractions. And walking helps keep me awake and alert. What is important is being one-on-one with God.
This is not an argument against public prayer. You can find many examples of public prayer in the book of Acts. But their prayer was to God. It was not to draw attention to themselves. And that should be our goal as well.
