As we all know (or will come to know) spending time alone with the Father can be hard to do especially if you have a busy schedule or someone you share a room with, or both like I do. We see that at times when Jesus withdrew, it wasn’t always convenient. In Mark 1:35, we see that Jesus woke up before the sun rose in order to spend time with the Father. In Luke 6:12, we see that Jesus went to the mountain and He was up all night seeking His Father’s will. We see later that out of this extensive time with God in prayer, Jesus went on to choose THE twelve disciples who He named apostles.
We also learn that we should always seek the Lord’s guidance/approval when it comes to making important decisions. In this case, the decisions that Jesus sought after the Lord for (picking the apostles) not only set the course for the rest of Jesus’ life, but set the course for the rest of Christianity as a whole. Jesus could’ve made this decision all on His own but He still decided to consult the Father and make sure they were both in agreement.
In Luke 4:42, we see that Jesus withdrew into a desolate place but not only did he do that, but He withdrew when there were many other things and people actively calling for His attention. Many times, we find ourselves consistently wrapped up in things like homework, friends, extra curricular activities, work, etc. that we don’t find, or think to find the time to spend with God. We have to get it in our heads that spending time with the Lord on a consistent basis must be a priority. The bible says that in all of our ways, we should submit to the Lord (Proverbs 3:6) and this includes spending time with Him and making Him apart of our daily lives. Reading this, you may ask why spending time with the Father in the desolate places is so important. Matthew 6:5-6 ESV says, “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. 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”. You should do this simply because it is commanded of you. Now you shouldn’t do this out of strict obligation, but you should do it out a reverence and love for God. The Father desires to know you in an intimate way and the only way you can be intimate with Him is if you are alone with Him. Also, we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and if Jesus had to spend time with the Father, then how much more time do you think you need? Until next time -Kya Other Scripture References: Matthew 4:1 Matthew 26:36 Mark 6:46 Matthew 14:23
1 Comment
S. Wimberly
3/2/2018 12:59:59 am
Good message, will keep the desolate place in mind.
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