365 Blessings- June 17

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 6:6)

Doesn't seem too complex a strategy to receive rewards from the heavenly Father. Simple on the surface but tough as well, because some believer's find time for everything else but prayer. Victory lies in being in the heavenly Father's presence and being sure that prayer for a specific request has been made in totality.

Go into your room, close the door.....Close the door and keep it closed till there is inner satisfaction that "prayer" has been complete. Only then open. There's often a tendency to rush to other things when in prayer. The door bell rings, the children call, things in the kitchen and a whole lot of other things mundane to be looked into. So close the door and if need be inform others that the door will remain closed till prayer is done with. Prayer is serious business and the diligent are rewarded.

Personal prayer is very important. Family and corporate (church/fellowship) prayers cannot replace the necessity to be alone in the Father's presence. Jesus set the example.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mark 1:35)

Even in his time of intense distress, Jesus wanted to be alone in prayer.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." (Matthew 26:36)

If one lacks a private room for private prayer, early mornings, when everything else is quiet, is the best time to get in touch with the Father.

The secret of success in Jesus' life and ministry was his prayer strategy and because he found it effective, he wanted all who believe in him, to follow it. The strategy is simple and if employed regularly can bring great rewards from the heavenly Father.
So shall we invest some more time in private prayer??