Eleventh Sunday after Trinity – Sunday
Pray everywhere. – 1 Timothy 2:8.
Yes, you may pray everywhere. Isaac had gone out to pray in the field at the eventide (Genesis 24:63). To publicly profess his faith, Daniel prayed at the open window of his house three times a day (Daniel 6:10). Jonah prayed to the Lord, his God, from out of the fish’s belly (Jonah 2:1). Our Savior went up into a mountain apart to pray (Matthew 14:23). One hundred and twenty disciples of Jesus continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14-15). Paul and Silas prayed in prison at midnight (Acts 16:25).
You may pray everywhere. Only, “when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you,” says the Savior, “they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:5-6).
Hence, your room is a good, a very good place for you to offer your daily prayer. And when prayer is said in public worship or at family devotions, do not be inattentive or listless, but, with all your heart, join in the prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and praise. From our Savior, there is a special promise attached to joint prayer: “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20).
PRAYER – Gracious God and Father, wherever I may be, Thou art with me, and Thine eye, O Father, seest me, and Thy ear is inclined to hear what Thy child desires of Thee. Should I then be mute, and should my heart be closed against Thee? Should I not speak to Thee and call on Thee as a little child speaks to its mother, asking her for this thing and for that? Oh, heavenly Father, who kindly does bow down to me, continue to give me an ever-increasing outpouring of Thy Holy Spirit, working through the Holy Scriptures, that, in true childlike fashion, I may continue to lift up my heart to Thee, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Abide, O dearest Jesus,
among us with Thy grace;
that Satan may not harm us,
nor we to sin give place.
—
Abide with heav’nly brightness,
among us, precious Light;
Thy truth direct and keep us,
from error’s gloomy night.
(Hymn 53, st. 1 and 3; TLH)