THE history of the living Church of God recorded in the Bible and otherwise since the Canon of Scripture was closed, repeatedly and prominently records the vital and essential place which prayer has been given in the worship of God and especially in the personal and spiritual life of believers, in all generations. The invaluable Shorter Catechism gives us a Scriptural, concise and clear definition and answer to the Question—What is prayer? The answer is, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies” (Shorter Catechism, Q. 98). And he that cometh to God, in prayer, must surely believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, otherwise prayer becomes a vain and empty form from which no spiritual blessing can be derived. So prayer is largely the exercise of a living faith, on the part of the poor and needy in Zion, toward the living God of grace and providence. In this our day, and throughout this professed Christian land of ours, there is still much public prayer, in which ministers of religion and others lead the people, who still attend places of worship. There are prayers at marriages, prayers at the grave in connection with funerals, prayers at war memorial services, prayers at the opening of sales of work, bazaars, etc. Among these there are read prayers, memorised prayers, unsound prayers, and prayers for God’s blessing upon practices which are contrary to the doctrines and simplicity of the Gospel. Whatever may or may not be true regarding much public prayer to-day, the question of secret prayer is a serious one. As a worthy man in the North used to frequently say in his prayers, “It is to be feared that secret prayer is departing from our land.” Hypocrites “love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men” (Matt. vi. 5); but they have no heart, nor time, for secret prayer. This is not so with those who have been regenerated and are new creatures in Christ Jesus, as they cannot live without secret prayer.
Believers have revealed to them in the Gospel, the holy example of the Lord Jesus Christ regarding secret prayer. “And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone” (Matt. xiv. 22, 23). Even the disciples, the intimate companions of the Saviour, as well as the multitudes, were bidden to leave Him that He might go apart to pray
and be alone. This is holy ground indeed. He did not indicate to the disciples or the multitudes the immediate reason why He desired them to leave Him. His followers are thus, as individuals, to come apart from lawful contact with the world, and even from fellowship one with another, so that they might from time to time pour out their hearts in secret before the Most High.
Is this most precious and solemn part of Christ’s example followed by the multitudes of professing Christians in the visible Church to-day? By their fruits they shall be known in this, as in other matters. Further, Christ gives particular directions to His people regarding secret prayer. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matt. vi. 6). They are to retire to some private place, away from the activities and distractions of the world around them and sheltered from the eyes and ears of all their fellow-creatures. Matthew Henry, the commentator, wisely observes, “Yet if the circumstances be such that we cannot possibly avoid being taken notice of, we must not therefore neglect the duty. . . .” The Hearer of prayer takes notice of the secret heart groanings of His people as well as of the full and free outpourings of their desires and petitions in the secret closet. The Father of mercies seeth in secret the needs, burdens, trials, groans, cries and pleadings of those who have no help of men at all, but who look to Him to succour them. Many are the difficulties which beset the believer in connection with secret prayer. The flesh lusting against the Spirit would have them to postpone this exercise to “a more convenient season,” to attend to other affairs first or to hasten engagement in this exercise, by drawing the mind and heart away from God. Satan opposes secret prayer and seeks to distract the heart by his temptations, and that which is of a worldly nature is liable to intrude into the thoughts of the child of God so that he may not know at times whether he is at the throne of grace or in the midst of the world. He discovers that, by his own strength, he cannot enter into communion with God and cannot pray aright; and so the cry in secret often is for the “Spirit of grace and supplications” and a praying frame of mind thereby.
Self examination would be a wise procedure with respect to the matter of secret prayer. It would be well for those who have a regard for the honour of Christ Jesus, who desire the preservation and reviving of the cause of the gospel and are seriously concerned about the spiritual health and comfort of their own souls, to examine themselves. Has there been neglect, formality and coldness? Has the open reward been lacking? Have other religious duties in private and public become more burdensome? These are but a few questions which may be pondered over at the beginning of such an examination. And may the mighty God of Jacob bestow upon His people, in this day wherein His Holy Spirit is much grieved, a wrestling spirit in prayer in secret, which shall prevail with Him.
David Stevin, of Bower, Caithness (who died in 1873), some weeks before he died, replied to the remark of a friend thus: “I would like the revival that began in the closet, and came from the closet to the fireside, and from the fireside to the church, and from the church to the world, there to witness for Christ.” “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James v. 16).