Day #90 - Solitude
The Presence - A Devotional for Living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder
“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,”
Matthew 14:23 NIV
What is your favorite place to go and pray alone?
I really enjoy being by the water when I get time to pray. I love being by a river or an ocean especially. I love the sound of flowing water and the sound of waves. When I go somewhere alone to pray and spend time intentionally with God its amazing how I sense God’s presence so simply and profoundly. I love to see the color of the water, the reflection of the trees and mountains, as well as the beautiful colors across the Northwest sky. Being alone in nature causes me to marvel at God and draw near to him.
In Matthew 14, Jesus had just finished feeding the 5,000. He sent his disciples ahead and dismissed the crowd. Jesus then shows us the secret to his ministry success: time alone in prayer. Jesus drew away from the mountainside to be by myself and pray.
What do you need to dismiss so you can be alone with God in prayer? To spend time in solitude you have to be intentional. Jesus loved people and ministering to the crowd was a good thing, but Jesus modeled to us the importance of prioritizing the presence. There is something significant, powerful and regenerative about spending time alone with God, especially in a beautiful place.
What good things are holding you back from time alone with God? Do you spend time in prayer for long periods of time occasionally? If you want to grow in the awareness of God’s presence, you need to add extended times away by yourself to be with God like Jesus did. You have to dismiss everything, the good and the bad. You have to go be alone with God. And then you have to stay there alone to cultivate that relationship and rest that comes from dwelling in his presence.
Jesus could minister effectively, because he ministered out of that place of prioritizing the presence of God. Jesus knew that time alone with the Father gave him success in what he was called to do. Jesus prioritized being over doing. Jesus prioritized solitude so he could dwell in the presence of God.
Father, thank you for the example of Jesus who loved to draw away and be alone with you. Show me the things I need to dismiss so that I can spend time alone in your presence. Help me not to be in a hurry to pray but to stay all night sometimes to behold you and to fellowship with you. Thank you for the gift of solitude so that I might know your presence more. In Jesus name, amen.
Yes and amen! I love to go across the road to the river, just walking on our road (rural area), trails and meadows in the woods, the ocean is my favorite. I can spend hours and hours there with Him just walking or sitting and beholding in total awe and reverence the wonders of His handiwork.
Amen.