When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone. Matthew 14:23
I was reading a book about saints this week, and started remembering a time in my 30s when I read a lot about the lives of Christians who had made a difference in the world. They were not all official "saints" as defined by the Roman Catholic Church, but they were people who inspired me to walk with Jesus in a new way.
Many of the my saints had particular ways of "being with God." I was intimidated by this phrase. I thought that I could never "be with God" in a consistent way, and that I didn't have the skills or knowledge for that kind of relationship with Jesus. It sounded hard.
As I spent more time learning about people I looked up to as spiritual guides, I realized that none of them had the same way of "being with God." One guy walked up a hill with his dog every day to spend time looking over the countryside with his canine companion and listening for God's nudges. Another person prayed while he peeled potatoes and washed dishes. One woman was homeschooling ten kids, and when she needed time away, she sat and put her apron over her head - the signal that the kids better stay far away!
All of them had an intentional way of spending time with God regularly, and their methods reflected their personalities and possibilities. In our reading today, Jesus is described as going away alone to pray in the evening on a mountain. This week I will be going away with a dozen people from our church to a mountain retreat with no cell phone towers or wi-fi, following the example of Jesus. I am looking forward to some time alone with God in the forests and mountains without digital distractions.
Will we find God where we are going? I'm sure some of us will. But again, we each have our own personalities and possibilities. Some will feel God's presence doing yoga. Some in the music we sing each evening during worship. Some will use the cadence of walking on trails as a meditation to focus on God. Some will use pottery or weaving or prayer beads to keep our hands busy so our minds and hearts can touch God's presence. Some of us may be so exhausted by our daily lives that we simply need to collapse and chill and be healed by God's creation.
Just like at home, each of us will have our own way of "being with God." There is no right way to spend time with God, but Jesus shows us that each of can set aside some time to focus on God every day. It's hard to be with God when we don't spend time with God. But each of us can find a method that is easy for us to be with God.
If you are trying to "be with God" in a new way, start with just finding a time that you can regularly give to God. The method will emerge that connects you to God's Spirit and you will be set to go. May you find the peace of Jesus as you spend time with him. Amen.
Pastor Anna-Lisa Hunter
July 9, 2024
Holden Village, January 2017