But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
This past Sunday we learned in church that we will never walk alone when we are in covenant with the Lord. He will be with us in times of distress and when we pray. On the other hand, Jesus, when he was in times of trouble in the Garden of Gethsemane, and here, when he was in the beginning of his ministry, bathed it in prayer. Jesus taught us the value of never walking alone but also the need to walk off to be alone. This is the absence of other people and other distractions but not the absence of the Father. He went off to be alone WITH the Father.
In this technological age, it seems we could not be separated from other people or distractions even if we wanted to. These phones we carry around make sure we never walk alone. Of course, that may not be the best thing for our health, physically, mentally, or spiritually. More times than we realize, Jesus sought solitude. When was the last time you really had time alone with the Lord without a text coming in or checking email? Maybe it is time that we, on occasion, separate ourselves, not so much from other people, but from our phones so we can be alone in the presence of the Lord, in the word, and in prayer. Maybe make that today, after reading this, shut down the phone, pick up the Bible, and lift up the name of Jesus. Withdraw, disconnect…
And get connected.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church