The Discipline of Solitude
This is an extremely busy time of year. With the holidays, shopping, sports, drama, school, homework, and the list goes on, our time alone grows short. We forget to spend time with God, or we just cut Him out all together. When we look at the life of Jesus, we gain some important incites to what is important in our lives. In the business of His life we can see some of the choices that He made.
"After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone..." (Matt. 14:23)
"After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land" (Mark 6:46-47).
Jesus withdrew again to a mountain by himself... (John 6:15).
If Jesus' example isn't enough, consider this:
God called Jacob to become Israel when he left everyone in his camp for some time alone (Gen. 32).
Moses encountered God when he was alone, in the burning bush (Ex. 3) and on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19).
God called to Samuel only when he left Eli and was alone (1 Sam. 3).
Elijah couldn't hear God's soft whisper until he was separated from other turmoil (1 Ki. 19).
John received his great Revelation when he was alone on Patmos. (Rev. 1)
Is it time for you to set aside a period of solitude so that you can hear God's voice?
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