The Closet Prayer

Many beautiful things have been said about the closet hour, and many of them set our souls longing for deeper communion with God. Some have spoken of it in one way and some in another. In the chapter on Mental Prayer, it is spoken of as the seclusion we may have with God in our hearts while in the crowded thoroughfare or anywhere else. This may be termed secret prayer, but here we desire to speak of it in the sense of being in a secluded place in converse with God.

Those who have loved prayer most and who have been most imbued with a spirit of prayer have been those who have resorted at stated times, circumstances permitting, to a quiet, secluded place. It is told of a certain devout man who had his stated time for retirement with God that while he was once entertaining some friends, the hour came for his closet communion with God, and that not wishing to appear Pharisaical, he excused himself for a few moments, saying he had an important engagement with a very dear Friend. We are not under bondage. We are free. We are just as free with our praying as we are with our eating. Just as we do not have to eat against our wishes, so we are not compelled to pray. But unless we do eat, we shall die physically, and unless we pray, we shall die spiritually. We have our stated times for eating; why not for praying? People are not so neglectful and irregular in their eating. They make some effort to get to the table at meal-time. Why not be as prompt and regular and diligent in praying? Regularity in eating is good for the body, and, will you believe me? regularity in praying is good for the soul. “No,” says one, “I do not believe.” And what if some do not believe? Unbelief cannot alter a fact. Jesus was in the habit of departing into a “solitary” place to pray. He would sometimes go out a great while before day. He spent whole nights in prayer. If we look into his prayer life, we conclude that he was a man of prayer. If he needed to pray long and often, how much more do we! We repeat that those who have been most spiritual and eminently pious have been those who have had a private place for prayer. It may have been by a river-side, under a spreading tree in the leafy grove, in the garden, on the mountain, or in a private chamber of the home. They were so accustomed to visit those retired places that the other members of their families knew where these devout persons were when missing, but did not care to disturb them.

We should pray even when laboring with our hands or on the crowded street, as we shall learn from the following chapter: but we should by all means have a certain place to which we resort and there on our knees pour out our hearts to God.

Talking with my Savior
In some quiet place,
Telling every secret,
Looking in His face.

What on earth is sweeter?
What more dear can be
Than to talk to Jesus,
Have Him talk to me?

When the morn is blushing,
In the secret place,
Talking there with Jesus,
Gath’ring stores of grace.

For the fiery trial,
Heated like the sun,
That may come upon me
Ere the day is done.

When the sun is setting
In the golden west,
A little talk with Jesus,
Leaning on His breast,

Rests the weary spirit,
Calms the heart within.
Oh, what joy and comfort,
Nestling close to Him!

In the secret closet
Hearing His sweet voice
Makes my life an Eden
Bids my heart rejoice.

In the secret closet
Talking there with Him
Drives away the shadow,
Lets the sunshine in.