One day while sitting in my study, which was also my prayer closet, I looked around the room at the different piles of papers, some of which needed to be filed in the file cabinet, some needed to be put into their proper binders, and some just needed to be thrown away. I felt that there was such a clutter in my prayer closet. At that time the Holy Ghost spoke to me about the clutter we bring to our prayer closet. Our minds are not focused on God, but on all the cares and worries around us; on the things we need to do as soon as we finish our prayer time; the errands we must run; the dinner we have to prepare; picking our children and grandchildren up from school; who we need to call, etc., etc.
Have you ever tried to make a phone call and you get a message that says, "All circuits are busy, please try your call later."? Can you imagine God trying to get through to us and because of the clutter in our prayer closet, He can't get connect with us? No matter how many people are calling on God we will never hear that message from His phone line; His line is always open and clear for us to get trough: but it is on our end that the clutter keeps us from getting through to God. We must clean out the prayer closet, get rid of the junk; file what needs to be filed and only take it out when you need it. Put other things in their proper places so that you will be able to concentrate on God and commune with Him. God wants us to come into our prayer closet with a clear line, an open mind; just come in and meet Him there. Remember how it was when you were in love and your loved one came to see you? You weren't thinking about what time they had to leave or what you had to do next. You were only thinking about being with that one, and didn't care what time they left.
I remember my dad would call downstairs, after he felt it was late enough for my loved one to go home: "Bobbi!". And I would answer, "Yes, Sir?" And Daddy would ask, "What time is it?" Now he already knew what time it was, but he wanted me to know that it was time to send Robert home, and for me to go to bed. I wasn't looking at the clock. Who cared what time it was? In that same way, Jesus is the Lover of our soul and wants to spend quality time with us: we owe Him that much and more; we are in His debt. He loves us and wants us to come to Him because we love Him and want to be with Him, and spend time with Him.
So, let's get the clutter out of our prayer closet and come with our lines cleared and ready to receive whatever God wants to give us for this moment. How can we receive anything if our "circuits are busy"? God can't even get through to tell us how much He loves us. We can't hear His instructions for us and know how and when to move to do His will. The clutter starts in our minds and it can become overwhelming if we don't get it cleaned out. Even in our ministries, they can get to a point where they become a clutter in our prayer closet. The things that clutter may not be something bad, but if it takes your focus off of God and fellowship with Him, it becomes a clutter. When we allow the Holy Spirit to take control, He will help us to get and keep our priorities straight; with Jesus first. "Put God first and you will never be last." We say it with our mouths that God is first, but does our life show it? Do we acknowledge Him first thing in the morning in our prayer closet? Do we acknowledge Him in everything throughout the day? "Charles H. Spurgeon said, "A day hemmed in with prayer is least likely to unravel." Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30. Get rid of the clutter in your prayer closet.
