“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6, NASB

God’s people pray aloud publicly and often. We pray as families over meals. We open and close meetings and gatherings. We surround the bed of the sick as we cry out to God on their behalf. We pray with the friend in need. There is beauty in praying together when properly done. But are we sinning when we do that? It depends on the heart behind the prayer. And it is fixed by a deeper understanding of the inner room.

We can go into our closet alone, shut the door, and still not have a right heart in our praying because of failure to enter the inner room. In reverse, we can walk through our day, pray aloud with others, and NEVER LEAVE THE INNER ROOM. So what am I speaking of as the inner room?

We who are in Christ ARE the Temple of God. Our High Priest purchased our right to come before God and seek His face. When He did, The Father ripped the veil of the Holy of Holies and opened the door to His Presence for all who come in. Now Jesus is The Veil. He is the Door.

When we, as God’s people, enter into prayer, we go into the Inner Room, the sanctum of God, the Holy of Holies. We walk through The Veil of Jesus, into the Presence of God, and we shut The Door so we are cognizant of none but The Father as we pray. Did you perceive that? The absolute awe of God. The purity of peace. The instant and natural humility that comes to the heart in His presence. The inner Sanctum.

He is our audience alone, the only One we seek and desire to please as we pray in this place. It doesn’t matter who is with us or hears us. We don’t worry what they think nor desire their approval and praise. We are with our God, our Father, our Abba-Daddy. When we grow strong in being here, wherever we go and whatever we do is accomplished while heart, mind, and desire remains in this Room.

Welcome to The Inner Room, Temple of The Living God. Now, let’s pray.