And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:5-6 NKJV

Prayer is simply talking to God from your heart. It isn’t assuming a certain posture, physical position, or limiting it to some religious place. It is a powerful privilege that fills the believer’s heart with joy and hope, much like the joy of a bride and groom on the day of their wedding. Prayer can be analogized to a spiritual wedding taking place in your heart—God’s marriage ceremony.

A ceremony requires both preparation and a performance. In our text above, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught what is needed in prayer preparation and performance. Preparation begins with a right attitude, honorable intentions, and a godly motive (Matt. 6:5; Jas. 4:2-4). Next, the bride (the believer) prepares to give up her name and assume the name of her husband. In prayer you relinquish your present name, nature, and condition (sick, poor, failure, defeated, etc.) and by faith assume your true nature as promised in Word (2 Pet.1:3-4). Then, the Groom (Jesus Christ) gives his Word to have and hold, to love and honor his bride. This gives the bride confidence. Thus, in prayer you have great confidence and hope that He’ll never leave you, nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5; 1 John 5:14-15).

Jesus outlined the performance of the wedding in verse six in the above text:  (1) enter into your closet, your secret place, that inner room in your heart; (2) shut the door (the outside world, distractions and the senses) and focus only on the thing desired; and, (3) enter in the secret place (bridal suite) with no one but the bride and the Groom on the day of your wedding anxious for nothing (Phil.4:6). This is God’s marriage ceremony!