Prayer and the Priesthood: our links to God

It is amazing how easy it is to settle into rote phrases and thoughts when praying!  I have been working on really communicating in prayer lately, and it is so hard!  My mind settles into certain phrases that, while certainly reflect how I feel in general (like "Thanks for this day" or "Thanks for the influence of the gospel in my life"), I recognize are not really communicating the depth of what I feel about those phrases...they have lost their meaning as it becomes a pattern.

And then, there's the mental wandering!  Now, I agree with a person I once heard or read that said that when our mind wanders, often it is the paths of inspiration and God is leading us somewhere.  This is true at times, but generally, for me, it is merely a reflection of a lack of focus.  I mean, I am approaching the feet of the Creator of the Universe, my life, my family,...everything around me!  And my mind is wandering?

As I have tried different things to help me focus--talking aloud, focusing visually on the tip of the beautiful mountain I can see from my window, pausing--one thing that I have tried less effectively is visualizing Heavenly Father.  Of course, I don't know what He looks like, and that is the thought I had this morning.

I think that, when I get to Heaven, even if the veil of forgetfulness that is over my mind is not removed, I would feel what God is like, from my many meaningful prayers that I have had with Him.  However, to be able to know what He looks like would be such an honor!

It was with these thoughts on my mind that I read through where I am at in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 84, which is about the priesthood and the amazing power and blessings that come from its presence.  The section I read stood out:

 19 And this greater ^apriesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the ^bkey of the ^cmysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the ^dknowledge of God.

 20 Therefore, in the ^aordinances thereof, the power of ^bgodliness is manifest.

So, thought I, the weekly ordinance of the sacrament, the ordinances in the temple...in these are the power of godliness, we get to feel and witness of the power of God.  How wonderful that we have the priesthood!

Continuing on--

 

 21 And without the ordinances thereof, and the ^aauthority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is ^bnot manifest unto men in the flesh;

It made me think of how important these "routine" things are.  Then this next verse really caught my eye:

 23 Now this ^aMoses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to ^bsanctify his people that they might ^cbehold the face of God;

That we might behold the face of God!  What a blessing to seek after!

In the meantime, I will continue to do my best to really make my prayers more meaningful and focused on Him, hoping for that day when I can see Him again.