God’s Secrete Presence
Taken from Today In The Word
Matthew 6:1–18 (NLT): “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Nobody likes to be around those who are proud, arrogant, and always tout their accomplishments. Those types of people tend to suck all the oxygen out of the room with their inflated egos.
In Matthew 6, Jesus addresses pride within the context of worship. He describes the wrong and right ways of enacting religious practices of giving, prayer, and fasting. In each case, believers are told not to be boastful and proud, but to act “in secret” (v. 6). We are to seek the smile of God’s face shining upon us rather than seeking human approval. The behavior of a true Christ follower contrasts with “hypocrites” (v. 5) who only care about present, public honor.
This may seem like a contra- diction. How can we radically radiate God’s presence to others in public, while also conducting ourselves privately and secretly in the company of God when no one else sees? The answer focuses on our intent. Matthew 6 teases out the theme of authentic spirituality. Here Jesus is encouraging His followers to practice their righteousness not to be seen by others, but by Father “who sees what is done in secret” (v. 6).
God’s presence is affirmed in moments when we are away from the prying eyes of the world. Jesus’ words should affect how we conduct ourselves in giving to the needy, praying, or fasting. When we do this to receive attention from others, we have already “received [our] reward in full” (v. 16). Our only audience is God Himself. This mindset increases our trust that God is at work in the unseen. God’s presence is always at work. As we go about our spiritual practices, let us do so with sincerity, conscious of His watchful eye and trusting in His unseen work.