THAT QUIET PLACE

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 263

One day while teaching the crowds, Jesus gave a few pointers on how to best pray. First, He said, don’t make a spectacle of yourself for everyone to see. Instead, go to a quiet place and pray where only your Father in heaven can hear you. And then when you do offer up your petitions, ya don’t need to go on-and-on-and-on (like one of Jason’s blogs), because God already knows what you’re gonna ask for before your lips start moving. I need to always remember that last bit. Hahaha.

Then our Lord got specific. He said, pray like this:

“Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

He didn’t tack on anything else (like the doxology us protestants are accustomed to saying); he just said it simply and eloquently. Me, I do try to keep it simple as Jesus taught. But you know me. Sometimes I babble on and on and on like the heathens do.

Do heathens even pray? I wonder. To whom do they pray if they don’t believe in God? Hmm. IDK? Anyway….

Once in a blue moon, I do as I did today. Completely unscripted and with zero planning involved, I just go into the sanctuary when I know I’m alone and just start talking to God. No agenda. No specific petitions. Just… prayer.

This morning I did that very thing. I guess I said that already, didn’t I.

Honestly, all’s I wanted to do was thank God for every good gift he’s given me, most notably His calling us to New Hope (Comfrey). I’ve learned being thankful for something is a sure way to not get complacent for that thing.

Truly, I don’t even know what my impetus was to walk toward the sanctuary and just start praying. My feet just started moving that way, and the next thing I know, I was “there” opening my lips.

Most days, I just pray throughout the day as though I’m texting God or something. Saint Paul said to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17); but one can’t do that in a private prayer place all the time. But we can do that wherever we are throughout our day.

I try to pray at night when I go to bed too. That’s a quiet enough place… at least the room is. My headspace? That’s something altogether different. My main issues are quieting he noise in my nogging, and then not falling asleep while praying.

There’s something to be said about finding a quiet space where you can just pour your guts out to God. Sometimes I do that when I’m on a long drive, or out shooting pictures, or when I’m just alone in the office. I don’t think God cares where, just as long as one does.

Today, I’m grateful for that still, small, silent, nudge to mosey into the sanctuary and park my butt in a pew, just to say “Thank you, God” for A through Z.

Honestly, it was a tender moment, one where tears gently streamed down my cheeks. I can’t say why. There’s nothing going on. It was just a nice moment of peace and prayer, mostly from me to the Lord. Perhaps He will reply in way I recognize or in some other way.

Prayer —it’s a gift from the Lord. Wouldn’t you agree?

What are you thankful for today?