Praying Heart

1 Kings 8:48
and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;

This follows yesterday's changed hearts. Chapter 8 may well have more hearts than any other single chapter; there are 3 more after this one, and 2 more in the beginning of chapter 9.
After the change of heart, the people should turn to God with all their heart and pray. This verse describes an aspect of the prayer that has come up before, though I don't think I've commented on it.
This verse and others speak of praying toward the temple, maybe because it was the dedication of it. First the verses speak of praying in the temple, then praying toward the temple or toward 'this place.' Verse 44 mentions the chosen city and the temple. Finally, this verse speaks of the land, the city, and the temple.
There is something Islamic about this, a hint of praying toward Mecca. It's not something I've noticed anywhere else in the Bible. Maybe Solomon was carried away with the grandeur of his temple and wanted to believe God's glory would always be there, as Peter imagined for a crazy minute that the glorified Jesus could stay in a tent atop the mountain.
Of course, the sad thing is that Solomon's temple was destroyed. I'm reading that part in my daily Bible. Solomon could imagine his people in exile, but he didn't imagine his temple looted and burned. Another temple after that was destroyed as well. There is no temple now.
But there is Israel. And Jerusalem. And God who hears from heaven when we turn with all our heart.