Solitude with God

TeacherStudent

SOLITUDE WITH GOD

And when it was day He departed and went into a lonely place.

(Luke 4:42)

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“Who wants to go camping!” A hand is not raised. It is mine. Anyone who knows me at all is aware that camping is not “my thing.” One problem is the campfire smoke with autoimmune lung disease, but overall, I just am not a camper. However, the concept of “getting away from it all” is, often, desirable and needed.

“Getting away from it all” by going to God alone, in solitude,

wherever that place, whenever that time may be.

For me, it might be in the morning when I first awaken. My personal one-on-one talk with God.

During the hours in the day, it might be communicating with Him while washing dishes, doing the laundry, reading a page in a book. Connecting. Maybe remembering a prayer forgotten. Thinking of someone who is hurting. Maybe it’s me, needing support for the day.

It might be later in the evening outside on my deck or looking out through a window, watching the sky blossom into a beautifully vivid sunset. I stand there in gratitude to my Creator for His creation and this moment in awe and reverence.

Alone time with God is the most precious time.

Being with the One who truly hears and listens.

Communicating with my Father who loves completely.

Pouring out thoughts and feelings openly to my God.

15 But so much the more the report went abroad concerning Him; and great multitudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But He withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.

(Luke 5:15-16)

Withdrawing from others, withdrawing from self to join with God in prayer–the communication He has offered to us freely, anytime, every time.

Jesus needed this time,

Alone with His Father,

In solitude with God.

How much more do I

Need to withdraw

And seek His Presence.

Always finding Him,

Waiting for my heart

To open unto Him.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/21/21)  teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

SOLITUDE WITH GOD

 

 

In these days He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night He continued in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12)

Seeking quietly

Our Father

Loving God

In communication

Time alone talks

Unforgettable

Dialogue shared

Eternal longing.

SOLITUDE WITH GOD

Time alone with God. It is the most important part of our day. Peace is not what we seeon the news, in the movies, on television, on the streets. It is only grasped when we commune with God in solitude. Strength to continue and endure through trials and heartaches is only found with Him by our side in time alone talks.

Jesus went to His Father on many occasions alone.

–And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone . . . (Matthew 14:23

–And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35)

—15 But now even more the report about Him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Luke 5:15-16)

–And after He had taken leave of them, He went up on the mountain to pray. (Mark 6:46)

—12 In these days He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night He continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, He called His disciples and chose from them twelve, whom He named apostles . . . (Luke 6:12-13)

 His alone time with God was a deliberate choice, a definite need, and an act of obedience.  Jesus is our example.

 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:5-7)

As Jesus needed time away from others’ needs and wants to commune with God, we, also, require this important prayer time with our Father. The cares, stresses, and needs of this world are like “great crowds” that gather around us, disrupting our calm and peace, depleting our energy and stamina, and affecting our emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Time alone talks with God should be our deliberate choice, definite need, and act of obedience.

When Jesus spoke to God, it was not in “empty phrases.” He went to the Father to receive help and strength from Him to complete what He was sent to do and be able to say, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Yet, Jesus had prayed for some other way. “And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44) His time alone talks with God were personal, intimate, emotional, honest, loving, and obedient.

Jesus is our example in prayer to God. He went to Him often in solitude for precious time alone with His Father. We, too, need this time alone in communication with God.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from Him. (Psalm 62:5)

 

(Sharon G. Tate blog 03/03/19)  teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word

TeacherStudent

Seeking Solitude with God in a Door Buster Season

 

SOLITUDE FROM THE LORD

In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. (Mark 1:35)

 In the early morning,

Shoppers line up,

Waiting , already tired.

Locks click, doors open,

A rush to grab bargains.

Searching, hunting,

Flyers in hand,

Sales! Sales! Sales!

Crowds, multitudes-

Pushing, shoving, hustling.

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16)

Hands reaching up

For the last item,

Snatching it away,

One hand victorious,

Other hands empty.

Waiting in long lines,

Sprawling like snakes,

Clutching prizes,

Tired, hungry, thirsty.

Is there an end?

31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. (Mark 6:30-32)

Hours ticking away,

Treasures dwindling,

Clerks in numbers,

Seeking customers–

More sales to capture.

The final announcement–

“Closing in ten minutes!”

Rushing to cashiers,

Exiting into the  night,

Bags heavy in both hands.

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was, they tried to keep Him from leaving them. (Luke 4:42)

After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. (Matthew 14:23)

 In our hurried, bustling, hustling crowd culture, the example of solitude is given by Jesus. The escape route to contemplation and communication with God is the path to peace and freedom from anxiety and societal pressure.

Solitude with God is our safe refuge.

 

 (Sharon G. Tate blog 11/26/17)  teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word