Behind Closed Doors
Let's start off with a fiery quote:
“A minister may fill his pews, his communion roll, the mouths of the public, but what that minister is on his knees in secret before God almighty, that he is and no more.”
I don't know about you but that rebuked me super hard. Because the thing is I find myself behind the church pulpit, in front of prisoners preaching, next to patients cleaning their teeth, but not often before God's thrown in secret prayer. How is it that I can love speaking about God to anyone I come in contact with yet not really enjoy talking with God myself?
In Matthew 15:8, Jesus is speaking to the pharisees and he quotes the following, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."
I believe we often find ourselves in this situation. We are doing a lot of outward service with our mouths but we lack the heart felt service of prayer. When was the last time you found yourself on your knees speaking to God for some time. I'm not talking about your prayer right before you eat breakfast or your one minute prayer when you wake up or are about to go to sleep. I'm talking about a heartfelt plead to God. Think with me for a second, it makes sense that your walk with God is not really dependent on your outward service to God but on your personal communion with God. I can imagine it kind of like a husband telling the world how great his wife is but coming home and not really wanting to talk to his wife. He can say it is great but if he doesn't love speaking with her, then that is what his relationship is and nothing more.
So I'll keep my appeal nice and simple. The genuine mouth and hand service for the Lord is important but I'm hoping that it is a byproduct of the heartfelt communion that you have Had with Him in the first place. I realize more and more that I don't always have that burden to spend time in prayer. So first of all, ask God to give you that burden. I can't put that burden in my heart but I can ask God to make me willing to allow Him to put that burden in for me. Second of all, make a schedule of real heartfelt prayer. Maybe in the morning for a some time and right before you sleep for some time. My prayer is that your drawing near of your hearts to God also draws your mouth to serve him as well.
