NOV 8

Matthew 6:1-8
Memorise Matthew 6:6
“…pray to thy Father which is in secret”

It is important to spend time alone with God through prayer and worship in a conducive environment so that our relationship with God can be strengthened. Indeed Matthew 6:6 tells us to pray to the Father in secret, therefore we know that there is a biblical injunction to worship God in private. However, does this mean that we only need to worship by ourselves and not with other believers? 

Definitely not! Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” This means that believers must not forsake fellowship with each other and should seize every opportunity to gather together as people of a common faith. When believers come together, they should participate in spiritual activities together, and this includes corporate worship. In so doing, they are able to encourage each other and strengthen each other in the faith. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus encouraged the disciples to spend private moments to pray and worship the Lord, but this is certainly not to be then construed as an instruction to only worship in secret and thus forsake corporate worship. In short, we must do both. 

Time spent alone with the Lord is sweet and precious, but so is time spent with other people of the same faith. Being spiritually alive in a sinful world filled with people who are spiritually dead, should cause us to look forward to gathering with others who are also spiritually alive. It is indeed a privilege and pleasure to be able to meet other Christians and encourage each other in the faith, to labour together with them for the Lord and to help one another in practical ways as members of the same family should. However, all these activities should be centred on the Living God who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. What better way to honour Him, than to worship Him as one body in Christ. 

Thought: It pleases God that I devote my time to Him individually as His child, and with other believers as part of His eternal family.
Prayer: O Lord, may Thy Spirit draw all thy people unto thee that we may worship thee as one body in Christ.