Jason Helopoulos

to go out before everyone else was up early in the morning to spend time with his Father.

He saw this as a precursor to going out on his day.

He sees it as something that you and I should mark our lives as well.

If we look at Matthew chapter 6, you know Matthew 5 and 6 and 7 here in this great Sermon on the Mount.

And as Jesus is speaking in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew chapter 6, he says this,

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others.

Truly I say to you, they have received their reward.

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.

Notice Christ's language.

It's not if you pray.

There's an expectation.

of his disciples as he's preaching the Sermon on the Mount.

He says, when you pray, go in to your closet and shut the door.

When?

It's the expectation that those who are his, those who are following after him, that have fallen in love with him, will want and will spend time in prayer and in the Word.

It's the expectation of our Savior

Robert Murray McShane, the famous Scottish pastor from the 19th century, said this.

He said, a believer longs after God to come into his presence, to feel his love, to feel near to him in secret, to feel in the crowd that he is nearer than all the creatures.

Ah, dear brethren, have you ever tasted this blessedness?

There is greater rest and solace to be found in the presence of God for one hour than in eternity in the presence of man.