When Christ Jesus instructed his disciples to “enter into thy closet” and “shut thy door” when praying (Matthew 6:6), it is doubtful that he meant for them literally to find a quiet place each time they prayed. However, as a child, I did take the “closet” concept very literally—and this is what I thought my Sunday School teacher was saying as well. I have a vivid memory of tucking myself into my bedroom closet and quietly listening for God to speak. I heard nothing, only quiet, so I didn’t spend too long in there.
As I think back on that experience and my interpretation of Jesus’ instructions, I realized what Mary Baker Eddy meant when she explained, “The closet typifies the sanctuary of Spirit, the door of which shuts out sinful sense but lets in Truth, Life, and Love” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 15).
And the sanctuary of silence can be God making His presence known through a settled calm. In this quietude, we are listening with our hearts, not our ears. We experience a very tangible feeling of God’s presence. Quiet times reveal who we are as God’s beloved child—safe and content, guided and comforted.
