Someone has prayed here before - September 1

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 16, 17; PM Psalm 22; 1 Kings 5:1-6:1,7; Acts 28:1-16; Mark 14:27-42

One of the most memorable places for followers of Jesus to visit in all of Israel is the Garden of Gethsemane. Many of the biblical sites in Jerusalem are educated guesses. For example, there are two sites that are rumored to be where Jesus was laid in the tomb: the Garden tomb or the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher. We think we know where Golgotha was because there is a place that really looks like a skull just outside of the gates of Jerusalem, but it’s a guess. However, scholars are fairly confident in the location of the Garden of Gethsemane at the base of the Mount of Olives.

In the garden are twenty-three trees. When I visited in 2020, I thought the trees were thousands of years old. I’ve learned since that the trees are probably from the 12th century which is still pretty old dating them at about 1000 years. When you are in the garden, it has a real feel of nostalgia, and knowing that you are amongst trees that have heard the prayers of humanity for 1000 years is still pretty incredible. 

Does it matter where we pray? I doubt it matters too much, unless one’s journey to a sacred space is itself a form of prayer and helps one be more intentional and mindful that God is a part of their life. And yet being in the place where Jesus prayed is a reminder that most places that we encounter are places where people have prayed before. I don’t often consider when visiting someone in a hospital how many prayers have likely been said in the waiting room or a hospital room. 

Have you ever considered how many people have prayed right where you are at this moment? What about the places you will visit today? The mechanic, the grocery store, a school or university, or a workplace? Does matter? At the very least it might inspire you to know that God is a part of so much more than we see and realize. 

Faithfully,

John+

Questions for Self-Reflection: Where do you pray most often? Do others use that space for prayer too? Does this affect your own prayer? How so?