Cleaned and Set Apart

“I send this letter to you in God's church at Corinth, Christians cleaned up by Jesus and set apart for a God-filled life.” (1 Corinthians 1:2 MSG)

One of my cousins sent me a picture of his ‘prayer closet’--the space under the stairs of his home. It was being used as a storage space for odds and ends, but he cleaned it up and set it apart as space solely for prayer. He has several rooms in his home that he could pray in, but those rooms also served other purposes. Some spaces like the dining room and living room were too open. He wanted a room that was private--a dedicated space for prayer and adoration. He says it’s his favorite area in his home now.

I really liked my cousin’s idea of a prayer closet and immediately tried to copy it in my own home. However, I kept encountering issues: some closets were too small; others had no light or electric sockets. Finally, I settled on the room adjacent to our detached garage. It takes a bit of planning to carry my books and supplies over there, but it is private and quiet. I am able to focus on prayer and contemplation. I’ve also discovered solitary runs in nature and solo drives in my car are opportune spaces for prayer.

Jesus is looking for spaces to meet with each of us privately. This can be physical nooks or the recesses of our souls.  He looks at our cluttered minds filled with distractions. He wishes to clean us up and set us apart for a God-filled life. Our part is to submit to the cleansing. First, we have to remove ourselves from the external distractions. Then, we must shush our own internal dialogue, so we can be attentive to the Spirit. The Lord is eager to commune with us. He waits on us to make the time and space.

“When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.” (Matthew 6:6 NLT)