Alone Time In a Crowd
Luke 22:39-42 [39] Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. [40] On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." [41] He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, [42] "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
My wife and I just came back from a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. Our cruise was shared by 3400 passengers and 1200 crew members. It was not really an intimate time. Almost every step we took outside the cabin was in a crowded area. Yet, it was possible to feel completely alone on the ship if you looked out past the crowds to take in God’s wondrous creation and saw it’s majesty. One evening after my wife went to bed I sat on the balcony – alone – to renew my prayer life. In the time leading up to leaving on the trip things like prayer and thanking God somehow got lost in the hustle and the lists of things to complete. Now it was the time and place to reconnect.
Like Jesus on the Mount of Olives I felt the need to separate myself from the crowds and speak to the Father. I looked into the heavens and saw stars I hadn’t seen in years. No cacophony of lights blocked my view of the Creator’s handiwork. Immediately I thought of Genesis 1:3-5, the description of the first Day – when He separated the light from the dark.
[3] And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. [4] God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
This must have been what the angels saw that day. I thanked God for His creation and for the opportunity the cruise gave us to see so much more of it. I had thanks and praise on my mind that evening. It had been quite some time since I had felt that close and that alone with God. As I looked at the array of stars in the darkness I felt I could reach out and touch the edges of Heaven. My mind was filled with the wonders and the bounty of the LORD that night.
I have no idea of what all was on Jesus mind His last night here on earth. Shortly before He was arrested, beaten and then died for our sins He took time to be alone with His Father. I may not know all that was on His mind but I do know that speaking to the Father helped Him.
I know that speaking to the Father has always helped me. Remember, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."
This first Thursday in May is the National Day of Prayer. For us, every day needs to be a Day of Prayer. We need to find time to be alone with God no matter what the crowd around us is doing. Jesus knew it was important and that’s enough reason for me.
Wilkie
My wife and I just came back from a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. Our cruise was shared by 3400 passengers and 1200 crew members. It was not really an intimate time. Almost every step we took outside the cabin was in a crowded area. Yet, it was possible to feel completely alone on the ship if you looked out past the crowds to take in God’s wondrous creation and saw it’s majesty. One evening after my wife went to bed I sat on the balcony – alone – to renew my prayer life. In the time leading up to leaving on the trip things like prayer and thanking God somehow got lost in the hustle and the lists of things to complete. Now it was the time and place to reconnect.
Like Jesus on the Mount of Olives I felt the need to separate myself from the crowds and speak to the Father. I looked into the heavens and saw stars I hadn’t seen in years. No cacophony of lights blocked my view of the Creator’s handiwork. Immediately I thought of Genesis 1:3-5, the description of the first Day – when He separated the light from the dark.
[3] And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. [4] God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
This must have been what the angels saw that day. I thanked God for His creation and for the opportunity the cruise gave us to see so much more of it. I had thanks and praise on my mind that evening. It had been quite some time since I had felt that close and that alone with God. As I looked at the array of stars in the darkness I felt I could reach out and touch the edges of Heaven. My mind was filled with the wonders and the bounty of the LORD that night.
I have no idea of what all was on Jesus mind His last night here on earth. Shortly before He was arrested, beaten and then died for our sins He took time to be alone with His Father. I may not know all that was on His mind but I do know that speaking to the Father helped Him.
I know that speaking to the Father has always helped me. Remember, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."
This first Thursday in May is the National Day of Prayer. For us, every day needs to be a Day of Prayer. We need to find time to be alone with God no matter what the crowd around us is doing. Jesus knew it was important and that’s enough reason for me.
Wilkie
posted by Wilk | 8:05 AM
2 Comments:
Dear Pastor Wilk,
I do find that the practice of daily prayer is soothing, while I am engaged in it and for a little while afterwards, yet still I struggle everyday with my purpose in the world. I don't want to reach the end of my life feeling that I never did what I was put on this earth to do. Any suggestions?
Several years back when I was pondering entering the ministry I had to ask the same question. What talents do I have and what is their purpose?
I stepped back to look at talents first. I realized that the talents I used for earning a living were the ones that define my purpose.
Look at Ephesians 2:8-10. When I was recruiting volunteers for Disaster Recovery trips I was often told, "I don't have any carpentry skills. What could I possibly do?" I lead them to this passage so that they could see the LORD creates the work and the opportunity for the skills He has given us to develop.
As part of your daily prayer you can ask the LORD to show you, in His own fashion, the skills and purposes He has for you. The tough part of this is recognizing the message He delivers to us.
I find myself questioning the source first to see whether or not I trust it. Then I examine the message to see if it makes sense in the context of the WORD.
Only then do I accept it as valid.
I pray this helps.
Wilk
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