Andrew Murray (1828-1917) was the son of a Dutch missionary sent to South Africa. He ministered for 60 years in South Africa, praying that “May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love, and joy of God’s presence, and not a moment without the entire surrender of myself as a vessel for him to fill full of his Spirit and his love.”
When thou prayest enter into thine inner chamber, and, having shut thy door, pray to thy Father, which seeth in secret.”
Matthew 6:6
Man was created for fellowship with God. God made him in His own image and likeness, that he might be fit for this, capable of understanding and enjoying God, entering into His will and delighting in His glory. Because God is the Everywhere-present and All-pervading One, he could have lived in the enjoyment of an unbroken fellowship amidst whatever work he had to do.
Of this fellowship sin robbed us.
Nothing but this fellowship can satisfy the heart of either man or God. It was this Christ came to restore; to bring back to God His lost creature, and bring back man to all he was created for. Intercourse with God is the consummation of all blessedness on earth as in heaven. It comes when the promise, so often given, becomes a full experience: I will be with thee, I will never leave thee or forsake thee, and when we can say: The Father is always with me.
This intercourse with God is meant to be ours all the day, whatever be our condition or the circumstances that surround us. But its enjoyment depends upon the reality of the intercourse in the inner chamber. The power of maintaining close and glad fellowship with God all the day will depend entirely upon the intensity with which we seek to secure it in the hour of secret prayer. The one essential thing in the Morning Watch or the Quiet Hour is – FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD!
It is this our Lord teaches is to be the inner secret of secret prayer: “Shut thy door, and pray to thy Father which seeth in secret.” The first and chief thing is, see that there in secret you have the Father’s Presence and Attention. Know that He sees and hears you.
Of more importance than all your requests, however urgent, of more importance earnestness and effort to pray aright, is this one thing – the childlike, living assurance that YOUR FATHER sees you, that you have now met Him, and that with His eye on you and yours on Him, you are now enjoying actual intercourse with Him.
From The Inner Chamber and The Inner Life, by Andrew Murray.
