Alone with God

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.” ^ESV Matthew 13:1

Hectic is perhaps the best adjective to describe the ministry of Jesus. Once he began to teach the religious folks tried to make him stumble, educated folks challenged him in open forums, and crowds pressed on him everywhere he went. Once, while he was teaching, his mother and brothers came looking for him but such a great crowd surrounded him they couldn’t even get near him and were forced to stand on the outside and call for him. It had to be hectic and stressful.

How do you suppose Jesus dealt with the hectic pace? What was his stress relief? Permit me to give a partial answer.

Behind on my reading, I sat down the other day to read through several passages of Matthew in one sitting. Incidentally, reading wide swatches of scripture at once sometimes gives you a clearer overall picture of what’s going on than reading snippets. Anyway, I picked up on a thought that I had not considered much before; Jesus enjoyed stepping away from the crowds and spending time alone with God (see Matthew 13:1, 14:13, 14:22).

Withdrawing to be alone—just him and God—seemed to be a refreshment for Jesus. Sometimes the respite was very short but refreshing all the same. Then the crowds, hard-headed disciples, family, and travel difficulties returned, but Jesus always began to teach to them again with great compassion. It was “back to the grind,” but with a refreshed spirit.

Nobody would dare argue that our lives are not hectic today. How do you deal with it? Do you withdraw for a short time to be alone with God? Do you pray? The Psalmist admonishes us to “delight yourself in the Lord...” (Ps 37:4). Is that how you refresh your spirit? All too often I think we seek our refreshment in more doing and going instead of in the Lord. Be honest, do you ever come home from vacation tired instead of refreshed?

Jesus withdrew often to be alone with God. Does the thought of being alone with God seem to be desirable to you or does it strike a fearful chord deep down inside? Being alone with God was refreshing to Jesus because he stood in a right relationship with him but time and again scripture speaks of unrighteous spirits trembling at the mere mention of his name.

Alone with God; Christians should rejoice in the thought. But, if this seems a bit unpleasant, ask God to place you in a right relationship with himself. The times are hectic; ask God to give you refreshment in him.