8/6/12- Private Faith

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  ⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But 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 6:1-6)

(Washington Praying in the woods)

Thoughts: Here Jesus is helping us see that religious acts are not done for the approval of others, but for the approval of God.  God sees all- even the things done and said in secret.  Giving is not for the approval of people.  This jives with what Jesus said about the widow in the Temple who gave more than all the rest because she put in all she had.  He knew that she had given her all.  God knows what we give, and seeks to bless those who bless Him. 

But prayer is the same.  We do not pray to be seen by people, but to be heard by God.  He is the focus of our prayers.  Too many today pray prayers to be heard by others, and God is the secondary audience. Jesus speaks of God as a Father (even before introducing the "Our Father").  The Father sees us and seeks to reward. 

    Faith in the end, is an individual thing of the heart that we do together, affecting the whole world. Yet, this does not mean that we should keep our faith to ourselves.  There is a balance between showing off and not hiding our light under a bushel.  

   In the church of America in the 1800s many Christians had "prayer closets."  They were little rooms people would retreat into for a long period of prayer.  In our busy secular-pushed day, we act like we are too busy for prayer.  Hybels has a book called "Too Busy Not to Pray."  Luther used to say when he was busiest that is when he needed to spend more time in prayer.  Time and space for prayer are important.  South Korea still has prayer closets in churches or retreat centers used on all-night prayer vigils on Fridays and special occasions.  But the best prayers are made alone when no one sees, and  our masks and pretense is stripped away, so we can get honest to God. 

Prayer: