Praying to God in Secret

When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place . . . —Matthew 6:6

The primary thought in the area of religion is— keep your eyes on God, not on people. Your motivation should not be the desire to be known as a praying person. Find an inner room in which to pray where no one even knows you are praying, shut the door, and talk to God in secret. Have no motivation other than to know your Father in heaven. It is impossible to carry on your life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer.

“When you pray, do not use vain repetitions . . .” (Matthew 6:7). God does not hear us because we pray earnestly— He hears us solely on the basis of redemption. God is never impressed by our earnestness. Prayer is not simply getting things from God— that is only the most elementary kind of prayer. Prayer is coming into perfect fellowship and oneness with God. If the Son of God has been formed in us through regeneration (see Galatians 4:19), then He will continue to press on beyond our common sense and will change our attitude about the things for which we pray.

“Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8). We pray religious nonsense without even involving our will, and then we say that God did not answer— but in reality we have never asked for anything. Jesus said, “. . . you will ask what you desire. . .” (John 15:7). Asking means that our will must be involved. Whenever Jesus talked about prayer, He spoke with wonderful childlike simplicity. Then we respond with our critical attitude, saying, “Yes, but even Jesus said that we must ask.” But remember that we have to ask things of God that are in keeping with the God whom Jesus Christ revealed.

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宗教神聖的領域

你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父。 （太六6）

在宗信信仰中，最主要的觀念就是仰望神，不仰望人。切不可有這個動機：希望人家知道你時刻禱告。要進入內室，在沒有人知道你在禱告的地方，關上門，暗中與神交談。禱告唯一的動機，就是認識你在天上的父。若要過門徒的生活，就要按時在暗中禱告，此外別無他途。

[你們禱告，不可……用許多重複話。 ]（第7節）神聽我們禱告，並不是因為我們懇切；他並不受我們的迫切誠心打動，他聽我們只因他的救贖。禱告並非單單向神求東西，那隻是最原始的起點。禱告是與神完全的合一。神的兒子若藉重生成形在我們裡面，他必然會超越我們的常理觀念，改變我們對所求事物的態度。

[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]我們禱告時往往用敬虔的術語，可是我們的意志並不在裡面，然後我們又怨神不垂聽；其實我們根本就沒有求什麼。耶穌說：[你們要什麼，可以求。 ]求的意思就是我們的意志也在裡面。耶穌把小孩子的至純與禱告相提並論；但我們卻發出批判：[好是好的，可是……]。耶穌說：[求吧。 ]但得記著我們所求於神的必須與主耶穌所彰顯神的心意相符。

祈禱◆主啊，今早的[每日亮光]發出何其有力的說話：[要剛強和具有勇氣；不要恐懼，也不要喪膽；因為無論你往哪裡去，主你的神都會與你在一起。 ]阿們！哈利路亞！