As 2023 comes to a close may I humbly ask each of my devotional readers to consider making 2024 a year where we all elevate our prayer life to a new level. I know that even though I pray regularly for about an hour a day, I need to spend even more time in prayer, because there is no more powerful Christian disciple than prayer. And while I am not much for making new year resolutions, I believe that spending more time in prayer is not, in my opinion, something that we should ever neglect. So with these thoughts on prayer in mind may I challenge you for 2024 to consider finding a special private place in your home or apartment and make it your prayer closet
There are so many reasons why having your own private prayer closet is beneficial that I don’t know where to start. But first just what does a prayer closet look like?
To me a prayer closet can be a physical closet or a portion of a room that you dedicate to private prayer. It should be a place where you force out all the distractions that keep you from spending quality time alone with the Lord. It can be sitting at a desk, on the floor, or in a physical closet. The key is to make it your own private place free of electronics, perhaps with a daily prayer list, a missions map of the world, a Bible, and perhaps even a journal to record answered prayers. The key is to make it your own unique and private place where you and the Lord meet alone each day.
In our world of today it is so easy to get so busy with people and projects that prayer often gets pushed to the back of the line on our to do lists. If you find this true in your own life than a prayer closet may be the perfect solution to get you disciplined to pray.
Below are just some of the reasons and benefits why having your own prayer closet can help transform your walk with the Lord. First, we are commanded to pray. (Colossians 4:2) tells us: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” And (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) says: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Quite frankly if we are not praying we are out of God’s will. Second, in our world with so many distractions, our prayer closet can be the ideal place to quiet our hearts and hear from the Lord. Third, (Matthew 6:5-6) tells us to pray in secret: “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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 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.” And fourth, watch how God will show you things that only can be seen through prayer. (Jeremiah 33:2-3) proclaims: “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’”
May 2024 be the year that you transform your prayer life from duty to delight. And may your own special, private, and solitary prayer closet be just the place where this can happen!
Excellent advice for the New Year. God bless you, my brother.
I absolutely agree that we need more time in prayer. May we make prayer a priority in our lives in 2024. Blessed 2024 to you and family.
I enjoyed that Curt, a coupld of comments and questions
A pastor said he has a pad and paper when he prays and when one of those sudden ‘oh no, I need to do such and such’ a thing comes up, instead of intrerupting his prayer to take care of it he just jots it down and by the end of his prayer he also has his to do list
I also read about an older gentleman who used to shower and put on a suit and tie in the morning just to pray. He would tell people ‘when you go before the King you want to look your best’
I’ve also heard pastors or peop[le say God should be such a well known friend you just start yuour prayer with ”Sup, God?” There is at least one pastor who does this in church. I disagree vehnoentally with this
One thing I’ve been trying for prayer in the morning is once I get out of bed the animals all want attention, out, food, etc and I sometimes cut the pryaer short. So while laying in bed I get the bulk of heavy detail oreinted prayer out of the way, and I’m comfortable so I don’t try to end it quicker than normal. But that just seems to laize fair to me, disrespectful. I am usually on my knees the rest of the day when I pray what do you think about praying while still in bed?