IN THE CLOSET WITH GOD

Did you rise, dear Brother and Sister today,
And go to the garden with Jesus to pray?
Amid preparations to face the Lord's task,

Did you walk with the Lord,

For His strength did you ask?

How easy to dress and groom ourselves so,

Then nourish our bodies with food on the go,

And then in the lateness of time to oft' say,

"It won't hurt this one time if I do not pray."

Oh, Brother and Sister, it does hurt indeed.

You've said, "Lord, today Your help I don't need."

You have gone out prepared in all but your heart,

And this is the place where your hurts will all start.

But if you rise daily, and with the Lord talk,

He'll prepare you for meeting the needs of your walk.

And you He will strengthen to show in His care

That this kind of living comes only by prayer.

~jb, 6-6-94

Have you ever faced a day that brought on unexpected experiences that tried you to the breaking point? You were faced with situations and people you were just not prepared to confront and you found yourself struggling to cope, to have the right answers, or strength to endure that and what you began to fear might be a continued struggle all day long. Been there, done that?

Well, I have, and on reflection I recognize that daily living becomes such a habitual activity that I find myself preparing for it quite unconsciously. There are certain ways that I have of moving through the necessities of that period before leaving for work, and they become second nature to me. There are times, I confess, that amid a busy schedule, I have found it too easy to arise late, rush through all of my preparations except the most important of all. I begin that day without conscious acknowledgement and submission to the Lord's will and strength to accomplish what may face me.

How much better to rise and immediately "enter my closet" with the Lord, allow Him to choose my spiritual "clothing" that is fit for the day He alone knows, and go out in the strength He alone can provide.

Jesus gave us the answer in Matthew 6:6 "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to the Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

Today, my Brothers and Sisters, be encouraged to start your day with that which is necessary to meet all of the unexpected experiences of life.