Good Morning All,
Jesus sought out a desolate place. Have you ever sought out a desolate
place? I would be willing to guess that
some of you, when your children were much younger and all you heard was,
“Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” you sought out a desolate place. Just some place with a little quiet where I
can collect my thoughts and my wits. There may be times when you sought a
desolate place because you were tired, and you needed a rest and you wanted to
make sure you were alone for just a couple of minutes.
Scriptures often speak of Jesus seeking out
a desolate place, especially the book of Mark.
Mark’s account of Jesus’ ministry here on earth is one of a whirlwind of
activity. People are always trying to
touch Jesus or get his attention or get him to touch them or have dinner with
them. As we read Mark’s Gospel, you can
almost get the sense of Jesus always being tired and near exhaustion. So, we often find Jesus seeking out a
desolate place to be alone and to pray.
It is many times, like our verse, early in
morning. Jesus sets a pattern that is
one that we should consider following. First,
he seeks a desolate place, a place of solitude and quiet. He does this so that he can truly concentrate
on what he is doing, praying to God.
Prayer requires a focus on who God is and on who we are. Too often in our lives we pray quickly and
without thought. We have an attitude of
“let’s get it over with so I can get to the important things.” Yet the important thing is to start the day
off right.
Jesus shows us by his example the need for
and the value of prayer. He uses prayer
to help re-energize his spirit. He uses
prayer to help refresh his soul. Prayer
helps to relieve some of the stress and confusion in our lives. It connects us back to what is important in
our life- our relationship to God.
Prayer helps us to find that footing so that we can regain our balance
in life.
Having a specific and, perhaps, a special
place to pray can help you to stay focused on your prayers. Having that special place that is quiet and
peaceful can help to offer the solace that we need and desire. Setting aside a time and a place to pray,
especially first thing in the morning, can help to give us peace and to
strengthen our faith by remembering that God, our Father, is listening to our
cries and to our fears. God hears our
tears and wipes them away with his Spirit of comfort and hope.
So, find your solitude, your desolate place
and pray, every morning take the time to pray.
Speak to God from your heart and listen for his answer.
Father of
grace, you lead me to quiet times and places that I may pray to you in
peace. Help me to focus on your Words as
they speak to me and to listen to your grace.
Keep me safe and secure in the certainty of your wonderful mercy. Show me the wonder of your peace. In the precious name of Jesus, our risen
Savior, we pray. Amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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