NO OTHER FOUNDATION

I stay indoors way too much. I love being outside except when it’s really hot, really cold, or really wet. Welcome to Texas. If it’s not one, it’s usually the other. So, I stay in the comforts of my home where I can stay dry and be the master of the thermostat. 

There’s something else about being inside. I have distractions all around me. There’ a television in our open area upstairs and in our bedroom. On my TV I can watch Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video, YouTube TV, and other apps that are free. I still struggle to find a show I want to watch.

Also, inside is my personal computer. With it I can search the internet for a variety of information. I can respond to emails, check my bank account, pay bills, edit videos, and so much more.

My phone is usually close by. With it I can do everything I do with my computer and so much more. I can text friends and family. Maybe I will call them if I’m feeling especially generous with my time. I can scroll on social media for what feels like just a few minutes, to realize I’ve wasted 20 minutes on absolutely nothing. I can purchase items from the Amazon app on my phone and have it delivered to my home the same day.

I love being inside. It’s got everything I could ever need. Many people now have jobs from home. You can order groceries and meals delivered to your home. From my phone I can use my Uber or Lyft app to have someone drive to my house and take me wherever we need to go.

We are getting to the point that we rarely need to leave our home. However, the longer I stay inside, the emptier I feel. I have 24 hours a day of unlimited distractions, but I still crave something else.

This year I’ve made it a goal to grow in my prayer life. I wake up at 5:00am and start praying. Then my mind starts drifting. I start thinking about the meetings I have coming up that day. I start thinking about the meetings I had the prior day. My phone buzzes. I received 6 new emails. I wonder who they came from. At 5:30am it must be important. I wonder what’s new on social media. I wonder if anyone likes my post or picture that I posted the day before. I’m starting to get hungry, maybe I should go ahead and make breakfast…

I could keep going, but you get the picture. Before I realize it, an hour has past and I’ve barely uttered a sentence of prayer. I want to model Jesus in my prayer life, so I looked to the Bible to see how He prayed.

Jesus was a busy man. He was constantly traveling. He spoke to large groups of people. I imagine it took a lot of time for Him to plan out what He wanted to say. Have you ever spoken publicly? If so, you understand that it energizes you, but it also drains you. He healed people along the way. He cast out evil spirits from people. Everywhere He went, people were demanding of His time. Then He withdrew with His disciples and had to explain to them what He had just said to the crowds. Distractions must have been constant for Jesus!

So, what did Jesus do? He escaped to the outdoors. There He prayed to His Father. Luke 5:15-16 (CSB) says, “But the news about him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.” Jesus went outside to be alone and pray. He needed to be away from the distractions. There is no better place to eliminate distractions than a deserted place. When Jesus was betrayed, Judas knew that He could find Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. John tells us in His gospel that Jesus often took His disciples there to pray. To this day ancient olive trees surround this site. Jesus prayed to His Father surrounded by creation.

There’s something about praying outside. We can see God’s creation on full display. We see His handiwork in the sky. We see trees firmly planted bearing fruit. We hear birds chirping and singing His praises. It can lighten the darkest of moods and put us in the right mindset to approach our Heavenly Father. 

My former pastor once told me a great place to pray was at a cemetery. I remember hearing that and thinking, “What!?” Then he explained why. No one is at a cemetery. It’s quiet. You can be alone with God. That’s a good word.

So, get outside and pray! Your daily prayer doesn’t always have to be outside, but there is value to being in the great outdoors, even if it’s at the cemetery. Leave your phone in the car though, because that device is full of distractions! Make your time with God distraction free.