Praying...but never alone.

Matthew 14:23

I always wanted to "go up into the mountain to pray." You know, just like Jesus did. Not that I think there is something special about any particular mountain or that we can get closer to God by being at a higher elevation. Heaven is not reached by height as the people at Babel discovered long ago. But to get away, really away from all the distractions in order to focus on God, on prayer. It sounds great and nearly impossible!

No matter where I've gone, I've never been able to fully focus my mind and soul in prayer. There are always distractions, either by the environment or from within. There always seems to be something getting in the way and not even a mountain can help that!

I've spent some time alone in the Galilee and I discovered something. Even in the places of Jesus' most intimate prayers, he had distractions. Some of them were similar to mine, the weather, the view, the sounds of nature and even the inner distractions of hunger, of the day's schedule, the future. What is strikingly different though between Jesus' prayer time and mine is his focus. He had much more on his mind than we every will, yet he was able to pray. What we miss at times though is that he prayed often all night!

I wonder if it was because of his distractions?

Regardless of what they are or how many there are, the good news for us is that we can get around them just like He did, by simply praying. The truth is, while we are never truly alone, away from our thoughts, or circumstances or even our environment, we are also never alone from God! Which means that if we are not able to get away to the mountain, then we go to God wherever we are, whenever we can. And if our prayers last all day, in between tasks, during down times, while commuting to work or to the grocery, then so be it.

The important thing is to pray...because God is where we are and waiting to hear from us!

Peace ><>
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