Day Five: Aloneness (Mark 1:29-39)
Devotional: Loneliness and aloneness are not necessarily the same thing. God doesn’t want us lonely but there are times He want us alone. We live in a 24-7 world don’t we. It wasn’t that long ago, news was at 6 and 11pm. Now it’s 24-7. We are constantly bombarded with news and ads and activity. Go, go, go. That’s the story of our day. But why not write a new narrative.
God says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). How can we really get to know God and have a clear since of direction for our lives when life is too loud to hear Him. We talk a lot about the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and serving. But what about the forgotten discipline of solitude, or aloneness. Alone with God, that is.
There were curious set of believers at the end of the second century known as the “Desert Fathers”. These men left everything behind to live alone with God in the desert lands of the Middle East. Solitude with Jesus became their daily way of life. Perhaps a bit extreme, but there are lessons we can learn from them, and more importantly from Jesus.
Before Jesus began His public ministry, He spent time in the desert. On a regular basis, not just here in Mark 1, Jesus would withdraw from people to be alone with the Father. Verse 35 says He “went out to a desolate place”. The disciples were shocked because they had lots of people they were ministering to. But Jesus understood that it’s not people’s demands, but God’ wishes, that dictate the priorities of our lives.
When the disciples found Him after His alone time with God, He gave them very clear direction of what they needed to do and where to do it. It’s also true for us. Making it a priority to get away regularly with the Father will help clear up confusion of purpose and priorities. We will hear clearer the “gentle whisper of God”, like Elijah did in the desert (1 Kings 19). Where’s a “desert” you can go to, to be alone with the Father?
Prayer: Find a quiet, solitude place today. And spend some significant time in silence. Don’t be quick to talk. Sit and listen to the Spirit today. Process what you hear from Him and pray for understanding.
Devotional: Loneliness and aloneness are not necessarily the same thing. God doesn’t want us lonely but there are times He want us alone. We live in a 24-7 world don’t we. It wasn’t that long ago, news was at 6 and 11pm. Now it’s 24-7. We are constantly bombarded with news and ads and activity. Go, go, go. That’s the story of our day. But why not write a new narrative.
God says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). How can we really get to know God and have a clear since of direction for our lives when life is too loud to hear Him. We talk a lot about the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and serving. But what about the forgotten discipline of solitude, or aloneness. Alone with God, that is.
There were curious set of believers at the end of the second century known as the “Desert Fathers”. These men left everything behind to live alone with God in the desert lands of the Middle East. Solitude with Jesus became their daily way of life. Perhaps a bit extreme, but there are lessons we can learn from them, and more importantly from Jesus.
Before Jesus began His public ministry, He spent time in the desert. On a regular basis, not just here in Mark 1, Jesus would withdraw from people to be alone with the Father. Verse 35 says He “went out to a desolate place”. The disciples were shocked because they had lots of people they were ministering to. But Jesus understood that it’s not people’s demands, but God’ wishes, that dictate the priorities of our lives.
When the disciples found Him after His alone time with God, He gave them very clear direction of what they needed to do and where to do it. It’s also true for us. Making it a priority to get away regularly with the Father will help clear up confusion of purpose and priorities. We will hear clearer the “gentle whisper of God”, like Elijah did in the desert (1 Kings 19). Where’s a “desert” you can go to, to be alone with the Father?
Prayer: Find a quiet, solitude place today. And spend some significant time in silence. Don’t be quick to talk. Sit and listen to the Spirit today. Process what you hear from Him and pray for understanding.
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