The real estate agent’s mantra of, “Location, location, location,” has an unexpected correlation to the pastor’s life of prayer. For when it comes to extended times in private prayer, location is everything.

And we know this because of our Lord’s practice.

JESUS AT PRAYER

The gospels bear witness not only to Christ’s commitment in prayer, but also how Jesus went about devoting himself to pray. And one common theme is His departure to a quiet place for the purpose of prayer:

• “And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place.” – Luke 4:42
• “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” – Luke 6:12
• “And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives [to pray].” Luke 22:39
• “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” – Mark 1:35
• “Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” – John 6:15

As under-shepherds who are to model their ministry after the True Shepherd, we pastors need to make extended prayer an increasingly normal part of our work. But if we are ever to persevere in this labor we need to each find a regular place for what the old divines called “closet prayer.”

FIND A CLOSET

Thomas Brooks, in his gem entitled The Secret Key to Heaven: The Vital Importance of Private Prayer, says, “Christ choosing solitude for private prayer, doth not only hint to us the danger of distraction and deviation of thoughts in prayer, but how necessary it is for us to choose the most convenient places we can for private prayer. Our own fickleness and Satan’s restlessness call upon us to get into such places where we may freely pour out our soul into the bosom of God [Mark 1.35].”

When I first read Brooks’ book a few years ago one of the first changes I made was to find a dark and quiet place to pray each day. The church I was serving at back then was replete with classrooms that fit the criteria for solitude in prayer. Unfortunately, about nine months later we left to plant a church, a church with no building or office space. My greatest fear, seriously, about planting our church was, “Where I am going to pray in solitude now?” Well, I took the old Nonconformists literally and decided to go into the closet. And I now have a new found love for walk-in closets. Once the door is closed and my ear buds are playing sound deafening white noise I know I have arrived to my desolate place.

And then I am able to get down to the business of extended closet prayer without worldly distractions and interruptions. I very much feel the health of my ministry depends on such time. When I find discouragement and lethargy reigns in my pastoring I can be sure I haven’t darkened the closet door as I ought.

Do you have a place of solitude for extended prayer? If not, consider a closet. Opportunities for persistent prayer awaits.