A Concord Pastor Comments: Praying 10 Minutes a Day: Second Week/Sunday

What have been the peak experiences of your life? the top-of-the mountain moments of peace and contentment and joy?

Did some of those moments last a long time? And some for just a minute or two?

How was God a part of those moments? Did you, have you, thanked God for those times?

Where do you find yourself on your journey on this Second Sunday of Lent?

Are you at the base of the mountain, ambling back and forth, trying to decide whether or not to begin the climb?

Have you begun the ascent, looking up and ahead but sometimes looking down and being frightened? Are you focusing on where you want to get to?

Have there already been short moments of peace, contentment and joy as you spend time wanting to grow closer to God this Lent? Have there been moments in your daily 10 minutes of prayer when you found yourself in God's presence? near his side? in his company?

Did you, have you, thanked God for those times?

For Peter, James and John in today's gospel, the mountaintop experience was over almost as quickly as it had begun. It seems that as soon as Peter made a move to capture the moment ("Let's put up three tents here!"), the cloud came, the voice spoke and the vision was over. Perhaps the mountaintop moments last only as long as we give ourselves to them, for as long as we are willing to free-fall into the arms of God...

Take some of these questions and your reflections on them to your 10 minutes of prayer today... Imagine the mountain and where you are on the journey... Imagine Jesus as your trusted and experienced guide... Follow him and trust where he leads you... On the way up the mountain, sit down the Lord and spend some quiet time in his presence... You needn't be at the peak to know the peace, the contentment and the joy of being with him... Sit with the Lord in silence... let him hear the prayer beating in your heart... listen for his voice, his heart... be still... and know that God is with you...

Are you new to "Praying 10 Minutes a Day in Lent" - or are you having trouble getting started? The first installment offers some thoughts on getting started, as do the subsequent posts in the series. So take a look and join us!