It Matters Where You Are…
Every Wednesday I get the opportunity to study for my weekend messages at a local library. It is easily one of my favorite times of the week. There’s nothing like the smell of old books and pencils, really. This last Wednesday, while walking to my study area at Trinity Western University, I began developing a theory that I thought I would share here. So here goes…
I think that our commitment to Christ is greatly altered for good or ill by where we place ourselves. Profound, eh? What I mean is that my prayer life is tremendously affected by where I choose to pray. My fight against “sin in my members,” to use a phrase that that Apostle Paul liked to use, is helped by what streets I walk on and what is in the windows of the shops on those streets. My study of God’s Word is altered by where I choose to study.
Now, this might sound simplistic to you, but I have been thinking about how little I incorporate this simple concept into my daily life. I often try to pray in places where I am distracted or where my mind wanders. I try to study in places where I am regularly interrupted. I walk down streets where I am forced to look at things that I really don’t want to look at. All of these challenges could be greatly helped by simple amoral choices I make every day. So, by God’s grace, I want to be as careful about where I go as what I do when I get there.
#1 from Nicky on March 30, 2009
First of all I completly agree with this, and it reminded me of how Jesus always would pray in a disclosed area. Like in mark 14:32They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34″My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36″Abba,[e] Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Also matt 6:6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
So God wants us to be alone and not be distracted as well and when you are alone and not being distracted you get so much more out of it. Good post Jeff!