Day 14 | The Quiet Place
Luke 5:16 (NIV)
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
OBSERVATION
Over the next four days, we will focus on solitude.
It’s time to use your imagination. Ready? Here we go...
You're one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. You have been following Jesus around the nation of Israel for a couple of years. You and your companions have been first-hand witnesses to the Greatest Man to ever live. With your own eyes, you have seen sick people healed, demons cast out, and even watched dead people come back to life. With your two ears, you have heard the most memorable words ever spoken by a Jewish man from the city of Nazareth. And you think to yourself, “How does He do it? It’s like He’s God or something! I want to be like Him, too!”
Great question! While it’s true that Jesus is God, He is also a man. Fully God, Fully Man. (see John 1 & Philippians 2) But Jesus didn’t live His miraculous life here on Earth in His Own God-likeness. Rather, it seems Jesus derived His power from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4) and His Holy habits or practices. This is important to understand because Jesus is our example of what a real human looks like when fully given to God. In other words, the very life that you used your imagination to witness above can be yours too. Perhaps to a different degree than Jesus, but we can become like Jesus and do the things He did.
One of the many Spirit-empowered practices that Jesus frequently practiced is called solitude. Or sometimes referred to as silence and solitude. Solitude is intentional time, in the quiet, to be with God. It is when one finds a quiet place, in nature or a bedroom, to simply be with God and to let God be with you. Luke 5:16 indicates that Jesus did this often. He would frequently slip away to spend time with the Father in prayer. He would escape the crowds and find himself lost in the quiet, calm presence of God. And it was in those lonely places that Jesus was refreshed in Spirit and directed by the Father on what to do next. The habit of solitude is certainly a reason why Jesus was able to do the things He did. And guess what, you can too.
APPLICATION
For the next four days, I invite you to do the following. Find a quiet place without distractions, including your phone. Leave it in the car or another room. Take a seat. Get comfy. Put your hands out with your palms facing up. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Inhale, exhale. With each breath, focus your mind on God and His love for you. If your mind begins to think about something else, re-center your thoughts by quietly praying, “Jesus,” or “Come, Holy Spirit.” Do this for one to two minutes. Afterwards, simply thank God in your way. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s Jesus. Let Him love you at this time.