Reflection for October 3, 2014

"In the morning while it was still dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place and there he prayed."(Mark 1:35)

I've always been a morning person.  For some reason my internal alarm clock rarely let's me go past 7 am.  For awhile now I've been getting up while it is still dark and heading over to the gym.

I will grant that the gym is not a deserted place, there are other people there as well.  But while I am working on some "temple maintenance," I do find it to be a somewhat prayerful time as well.  I don't really talk to people but I do a lot of thinking and conversing with God about the day ahead, and other things that are weighing on my heart.

While I don't do morning prayer in the dark because 1) I need light to see since I read from the Book of Common Prayer and 2) My eyes don't function as well before I've had my coffee.

But I certainly can get why Jesus chose to get up before everyone else and go to a deserted place.  First others might wake up and want to talk. Second he knew that prayer is sometimes best done when and where there are no distractions.

When is the best time for you to commune with God?  Do you have a place to go and just be alone without distractions?  If you don't, is it possible to create such a time and place?

Blessings,
Ed