Alma 33:4-9

"For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me.
Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.
And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.
And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.
Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.
Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations."
Alma 33:4-9


In these verses, Alma is talking to a group of people who are poor and have been cast out of their synagogues/churches because of their poverty. They say they can't worship God because of this... so he's quoting Zenos, and telling them that they can worship God wherever they are. I think this is a good lesson for us as well. Not to get us to skip church and think that is okay... but sometimes it is good to remember that God should be included in *every* day, not just once a week. And actually, not just included... but the center of our lives. When we're in the wilderness, when we're in our houses, when we're in our closets/tiny studio apartments, when we're in the middle of a crowd. ... We can always talk to God, and he will hear us. Prayer isn't just one-way... not just telling God the laundry list of things that we want. First of all, there is a lot more to say than that... but also, if we're in tune with the Spirit, we'll often get another side of the conversation. God wants to be included in our lives, and he wants to help us... but we have to put forth the effort in faith and take the time to pray. He won't force us. Today, let's include God in our lives, and work at putting him at the center of all that we do.