Withdrawing to Your Lonely Place

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” -Mark 1:35

Jesus was a high demand kind of person. Literally, every day thousands of people sought for his attention, affection, teaching and healing. To say Jesus was busy would be an understatement! But praise be to God, that Jesus experienced, felt, and understood what it meant to be human in every way.

Maybe you’re a mom, who feels like you don’t even have one second to breathe, let alone pee by yourself without a kid pulling on your leg. Or maybe you’re a man who has heavy responsibilities at your job and you’re trying to juggle the responsibilities of caring for your family while still being emotionally and spiritually present. Or maybe you’re a single, who’s trying to better manage your time, while still trying to go to school, work, carry out your God-given gifts, and be fully present for the relationships in your life. Or maybe you’re someone who is a care taker for a sick loved one and the majority of your time is spent serving someone else. Whatever category you are in, I want you to pay special attention to what I am about to write.

In the book of Mark, starting in chapter 1, we are previewed a glimpse into the everyday life of Jesus.

Verses 32-34 says, “That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.”

When I first read these verses, I stared at the verses scratching my head in astonishment. I thought to myself, “Did this really happen?” 3 things in particular stood out to me:

#1

It was after sunset, meaning it was night time. It was probably during the time Jesus was trying to eat and go to sleep. You ever wonder if Jesus was tempted with the spirit of “Hangry?..(Angry because you’re hungry). Lol!

#2

ALL the sick and the WHOLE town gathered at the door. Can you imagine all the people of the city you are currently living in gather at your front door? Yea…me either. Can you say crowd-social anxiety on deck! Haha!

#3

Jesus healed all those who came to him who had various diseases. So, do you know what that means? Jesus DID NOT turn anyone away. No not one!! Can you say, “WOOOOOOOOOW!”

Vs 35-38 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else to the nearby villages so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”

No matter how demanding Jesus’s days were, he was willing to sacrifice sleep and comfort to spend much needed time with his Heavenly Father. He needed revitalization for his spirit. It was that crucial, essential, and necessary for him. He didn’t allow yesterday’s long night to be an excuse for him to skip out on withdrawing to his lonely place with his Father. He didn’t allow the demands of people or his schedule to stop him from spending quiet time with His Father. You see, he would rather his body be weary, than his spirit be weary. Because of his connection to his Father and the time spent with his Father, he was equipped for the day. When the apostles came to him yelling and fretting, he responded with grace, love, patience, and vision for the day ahead.

Application:

You and I need to make it appoint to withdraw to our lonely place with our Heavenly Father EVERY SINGLE DAY! It is crucial to our soul well-being and our spiritual sustenance. Everyone’s lonely place will be different depending on what stage of life we are in. For you moms, your lonely place may be locking yourself in your bathroom for 30min while your children nap. For the busy husband and father, it may mean waking up an hour before you go to work to talk to God. Or for another person, it may mean going outside for a walk to pray and meditate. Where ever your lonely place is, go to it! When we commune with our Heavenly Father, we are able to receive His love, grace, mercy, and attention. Then God so graciously imparts us with the ability to give that same mercy, love, and attention we received from Him, to others. So, my encouragement to ALL OF US is, no matter how crazy, overwhelming, or demanding our days get, we MUST make time to withdraw to our lonely place with our Heavenly Father. We will feel better and ultimately be better because of it!

Be encouraged!

With love,

Ashley Moneet

Fearless.Faithful.Following.