by Pastor Rich Carlson

     As Jesus continues His sermon on the hillside beside the Sea of Galilee, He gives three more illustrations/challenges to something greater. They are three indicators of commitment that are better done in secret than in public.
     “When you give… do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matt. 6:2).
     “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen” (v6).
     And even “when you fast… wash your face, so that it will not be obvious… that you are fasting” (v17-18).
     The religious zealots of the day apparently announced their giving, according to Matthew, by standing in the streets and blowing trumpets so that they could be seen by all (6:2). When they prayed they loved to stand in the synagogues and at the street corners so that their praying could be evidenced by everyone (v5). And even when they fasted they would disfigure their faces so their fasting could be seen by all (v16)! This sounds far fetched, but when someone gets carried away in self-adoration in worship there are apparently no limits to where it might go. And Jesus said those who behave this way are rewarded—by society, but not by God. If what I am looking for is praise from men, then this is the way to “worship.”
     But if I am looking for the approval of God, my giving–not just of money, but of anything–will be done in such a way that the giving of the gift, the blessing from that giving, and the credit or glory will all be directed to God, not to me! God knows what you don’t know about my giving and He will be the One who decides if and how I am to be “rewarded openly.”
     In spite of the fact that I still see value in public prayers in church and other places, the best praying happens when I am alone with God and you don’t know it! It has nothing to do with how much time you think I spend in prayer and has everything to do with how special and intimate that time with God is to me! In public prayer my words should be carefully chosen so I represent those I am leading in prayer and the message of the prayer is clear; but in private prayer I can more freely pour out my heart and soul to God and interact with Him on a much more intimate level. You may hear me pray in public because that’s part of my job and I take seriously the responsibility of representing God’s people before His throne, but, closed-door "closets" are so much more effective in establishing personal connection with God. And He who is with me in those secret places “will reward me openly.”
     And if I decide to fast, whether for physical cleansing or spiritual clarity, you’ll never know that either! The evidence of all three acts of worship are promised to be openly evident, but the process is personal and my goal is not to impress you, it’s to interact with God so that He can bless me as He determines so that I can use those blessing to bless others.

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. “God Is Faithful” is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.