Solitary Places

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

       If there is an emphasis in this comment in Luke’s account of Jesus life it is on the "often." Jesus practiced this pattern of withdrawing often. Who could blame him once his life became so public. Massive crowds began to gather to him every day. In one of these times of withdrawal Jesus disciples found him and exclaimed, "Everyone is looking for you!"(Mark 1:37) To which Jesus responds, "Let us go somewhere else–to nearby villages-so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." Jesus did not play to the crowds, he kept moving according to plan. But he also often withdrew to pray and listen to his Father.

       If Jesus needed to withdraw to "lonely places" in order to stay true to his calling, how much more do we. Jesus gave us a pattern to build our life upon. We engage the duties, the work, the people of our lives, but we also disengage and find a quiet place. We manage all the responsibilities and relationships of life by withdrawing and learning to pray to the one who is the reason for our existence, the ground of our being, our Father in heaven.

       All this is easier said than done. Particularly if you have young children, or even older children still at home.  A parents work is never done, especially with all the endless games and activities and lessons we sign our kids up for. Jobs too get in the way of finding a quiet place. Work can fill our days with pressures and deadlines, and fill our minds with disturbing thoughts when we return home at night.  Even pastors can live lives of quiet desperation as they try to juggle the demands.

       But it is not just the finding the time and place to withdraw that is difficult. It is also the "what do we do?" when we get there. What do we pray about? How do we listen? There are so many distracting thoughts and images that come to mind. It feels like we are besieged with all the "to do’s", the temptations, the trite and tireless needs of our being that take us away from the one we have withdraw to pray to. What do we do?

       Breath this prayer, "Lord, teach us to pray...teach us to pray." Jesus is with us and he will teach us. The first lesson he will teach us is that the practice of withdrawing is just that, a practice. It is no different from learning the skills of playing baseball or soccer. It is not any different than becoming a competent clarinetist, or office manager, or writer. We must work at it, give it time, and most of all discipline. We must practice showing up there in that solitary place, alone with ourselves and God. There will be times we get overwhelmed, too busy, and rush right past that time and place we have set aside. It won’t be long, though, before we notice the symptoms of non-withdrawal. We will feel distant from God, our faith will feel smaller, doubts may creep in, our love quotient will be low, an unreality of all things spiritual will begin to plague us. It is then we need to hear the words, "If you won’t come and be with me for your sake, then come for mine. I miss you." That is the Father calling us to return.

        A second lesson Jesus may teach us is the simple key to intimate relationship. We come honestly and transparently. Knowing God through prayer is like knowing a spouse. The conversation of two people who love each other is often mundane and of little depth or meaning. But other times it is the baring of one’s soul and discovering yourself or the one you love in a whole new light. My wife and I use to call these times, "SOS", State of our Soul. We would practice honestly talking to one another and listening. We would practice opening that "window of transparency" to our soul so the other could see what we were feeling, thinking, who we were. It is no different with God. We must come before him without pretense or facade. We must come as we are and open our soul to him. As David poetically penned in Psalm 62, "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge." The secret to depth in any relationship is complete trust and honesty. There is no hiding with God. The Father knows all, and still loves even me.

       There are many other lessons we will learn because Jesus takes seriously his task as teacher. So keep breathing the prayer, "Lord, teach us to pray," and keep practicing the pattern of withdrawal. Seek out that solitary place, you won’t be alone. It is there that the Father will meet us, listen to us and draw us ever deeper into his love and truth.