Luke 5:15-16 – Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Matthew 11:28-30 – “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” The Message
Often, though we love those in our lives, and though we strive to love all people that God loves (All in the world), sometimes we can be surrounded by people and still feel incomplete, still feel lonely, still feel like we are missing something. Get alone with Jesus.
When we are alone. When our hearts hurt for seemingly no reason. The answer is not always to get with friends and loved ones, very often the best thing we can do is enjoy being alone. We need to best use this time properly. Get alone with Jesus.
Jesus had crowds continuously seeking Him. They wanted things from Him. They wanted healings (Mark 1:40-45, Matthew 8:5-13). They wanted to see miracles (Luke 5:3-10, Matthew 12:38). They wanted answers (Mark 12:18-27). They wondered “Is this the One?”(Luke 7:20) Jesus loved these people and came to heal their deep wounds and to shepherd them back to God the Father (Matthew 9:36, Isaiah 53:6, Hebrews 3:10). He truly loved these people and He truly loved the mission the Father had given to Him (Luke 19:10, Galatians 4:4-5, Mark 10:45, Luke 5:31-32). Still, often, He would separate Himself. He had to because He loves the Father. He was setting an example. Jesus had to get alone with the Father.
Sometimes, not all the time, being alone is not a bad thing. Sometimes it is a very good thing so that we can be alone with God. After all, we all know that the best company we can have is to be in is the presence of God. People would like Jesus to appear and talk to them. Family, we, as children of God, are entitled and enabled to do that at any time. God calls us to get alone and be with Him. In His presence, when we move beyond the tangible to the intangible, the reality of the spirit over the physical, there is where we find Him who is always with us. The Truth is with us, He never leaves us, He is waiting for us to spend some alone time with Him. Better than alone time with any other is alone time with God. So, have we been alone with God today? The wonder is that we can be alone with Him at any time, no matter who or what surrounds us and no matter what our circumstances are. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego learned this truth before they were thrown into the fire. They could be present with God in the fire because they knew what it was to be alone with Him, at any time and at any place.
Get alone with Jesus.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.