The Upper Room

Witt Gregory lived in a stone ranch house in Southwest Arkansas. In his house was a hidden inner room, which he used as his prayer closet. He called it "God's room." It was his own personal "Holy of Holies."

A scene from "Handful of Demons":

Something was happening to the atmosphere in that tiny toom. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck stood on end. Silently, little by little, God's presence in that small space grew and intensified until it became so overwhelming Witt was compelled to lower his lean body all the way to the floor. It was as though a giant weight was pressing him from above. He was powerless to resist.

Lying on his back, he clamped his eyes shut against the intense and blinding light that filled every crevice of the room.

The door to God's room was closed, and there were no windows. Yet the sweet fragrance of wild clover and honeysuckle wafted in on a gentle breeze, and settled around Witt like a gossamer veil . . .


A prayer room, prayer closet, or upper room designated strictly for quiet time with the Lord is a "luxury" some Christians feel is beyond their finances. But you don't have to have a huge ranch house with a hidden room to experience your own Holy of Holies.

The first house Dee and I built after we married was quite small by American standards. I think it was about 800 square feet with a small loft area over the back half of the house. The loft was first designated as a bedroom for my teenage son. But when he "left the nest" I latched onto it and claimed it for an "upper room."

God was always there waiting for me when I came to call.  And I can't tell you how many times I stayed in that room praying for what seemed hours. Yet when I descended the stairs, there was always plenty of time to finish my chores. It was like He had made time stand still for me.

Thirty-three years, and many houses later, I'm back in a small house. No room for a prayer closet. So, temporarily, I'm using a bedroom for a prayer room. Or the tiny covered back porch off  that bedroom. We live in the East Texas piney woods so, weather permitting,  I often stroll through the woods and pray.

But I like the idea of God  having His own room in my home, so my mind is ever, EVER straining to figure out where I could establish our Holy of Holies. I have an idea I haven't shared with Dee yet, because he's the guy who's going to have to build it.  And he's working so hard just trying to finish the house that I don't like to overload him. :-)

A dear friend, who lives quite a distance from me, converted a simple clothes closet into her prayer room and sent me a picture. It's big enough for a chair, a lamp, and a rug. She's made it so inviting that I can almost see Jesus sitting cross legged on the rug, waiting for me . . . who doesn't do a lot of sitting cross legged. :-) . . . to come sit down in the chair and talk to Him.

Look around your house to see if you have a space you might be able to dedicate to Him.

It will give you greater joy than I can possibly convey to have a special room in your home just for The Great I Am. No matter how small. Unlike a room used for other activities besides prayer, it will become your very special place of refuge, and He will always have His arms open wide to receive you.