God wants you to keep secrets with Him and only Him. Surprised? Me too.
My mother always told me that it wasn’t polite to tell secrets. But what about keeping secrets with God?
There are three basic secrets that you are supposed to keep with God. They can be found in Matthew 6:1-18.
- Giving to the needy
- Praying
- Fasting
When you give to the needy, you should not broadcast it out in the open for others to see, lest you be considered a hypocrite who sounds their own trumpet. If you follow this command, God promises to openly reward you. This is a special time of giving to others anonymously through donations when God speaks to you and shows you who to give to. No one needs to know on Facebook or social media!
“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:3-4 NKJV).
When you pray, you should do it alone in secret, so also not to be hypocritical. God will then reward you. Just think how unique and holy a private room with a closed door is where you and Jesus can sit together in peace, quiet and prayer.
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew6:6 ESV).
And finally, when you fast it shall be done in secret as well and without a gloomy countenance. This is a special time of fasting when you cry out to God through self-denial for answers to something very private between you and God. Sometimes fasting can be done corporately like in the book of Esther, as they fasted to save the Jewish people.
“But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:17-18 NIV).
How many of us are that intimate with God? How many of us truly understand that Christ wants this kind of deep and private relationship with us?
And I say, “Hallelujah!” Have fun keeping secrets with God.