Awaken The Dawn

Refreshment in the Morning

practice private, uninterrupted communion with His heavenly Father. I have been trained to study, and I like to study and do research, but I can say truthfully, more liv- ing truths come to me during prayer than during straight study. I have been astounded by the Scriptures which have come alive to me during my prayer times. I am sure that the secrets of Jesus came to Him in a similar manner. E. M. Bounds says:

We can learn more in an hour praying, when praying indeed, than from many hours in the study. Books are in the [prayer] closet which can be found and read nowhere else. Revelations are made in the clos- et which are made nowhere else. 10

The word “closet” is translated in other versions of the Bible to mean: “your room” ( New International Version ), or “a room by yourself” ( New English Bible ). The Living Bible gives the basic meaning: “Go away by yourself all alone.” A secluded wilderness area, an unoccupied garden, or a mountain-top may seem uninviting (even frightening) places to commune with the Almighty; nevertheless, it was in settings such as these that Jesus learned the ways and thoughts of God. Our text was born out of real life situa- tions where Jesus found the deep pleasures and inspira- tions that resulted from His private devotionals. Naturally, God is everywhere. Jesus, however, found that the Father is particularly, wonderfully, personally “there in the secret place.” ( New English Bible ) God sees clearly what you do in the secret place, but most significantly He sees what is secretly or privately important to you. This is Phillip’s translation: “Your Father who sees all private things….”

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