Go pray in a closet on Thursday

I know. I know. You're going to get mad at me, but heck someone has to say it.

Let's start with Matthew 6:6. (Choose a translation. I prefer the NAS, which says: "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.")

Not that I pray for rewards, but I do pray. In fact, sometimes, when I'm looking at you, I might be praying, something along the lines of "Lord, Help me keep my mouth shut." Sometimes my prayers, particularly that one, are answered. Sometimes that's your reward. Sometimes, though, okay, more often than not, I exercise free will in light of the prayer. But that's another discussion for another day.

Today's discussion is about the outcry against our poor ole' President who is trying to pray in a closet, as the Good Book says, and he's being, well, you know, crucified for it. FoxNews.com headline today reads "Obama's Decision to Observe National Day of Prayer Privately Draws Public Criticism." There isn't much a president does that doesn't draw criticism, but that's another discussion for another day, too.

I'm just saying, to those who said they "are disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration," it's okay to not pray in public, make a public display of prayers or try to pray on demand, just because someone says so.

That's not to say that those who work hard to put together such events as Meet Me At the Pole and Prayer Days and those who participate in them are to be criticized. I'm just saying there is room for public and private prayers. There isn't room for criticism when one person chooses one method over another.

Whatever an administration chooses to do about the event that was created in 1952 and signed into law by Harry Truman, amended by Reagan in 1988 and practiced in some manner ever since
is likely appropriate.

What do you think? I think the good Lord above knows when a prayer is real and when it isn't, regardless of whether it's at the beginning of a public meeting, in church or in the closet. Let's return to Matthew, 6:5: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites ... to be seen by men ... they have received their reward in full." (NIV, Life Application Bible.)

Pray in your closet on Thursday. Pray in your closet every day.


To view the Fox News story, visit: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/06/obamas-decision-observe-prayer-day-privately-draws-public-criticism/

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