Day 7 of Lent :: Jesus' Secret

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight,
He went out and departed to a solitary place;
and there He prayed.”

(Mark 1:35)

Jesus, of course, was well aware his presence and words were in demand. That is precisely why He traded an hour or two of sleep for time alone. For Jesus, solitude and quiet, reflection and prayer, were lifeblood. This was not an isolated incident. It was the rule.

As Dallas Willard observed, these times of chosen solitude, deprived of noise and activity and friendly interaction, were not enfeebling, dull, or even lonely for Jesus. They were “the primary place of strength…” (Spirit of the Disciplines, 162). In those quiet hours, He cultivated the insight and wisdom that could disrobe convention and strip false assumptions naked. Piercing insight. Rock-solid wisdom. Real vision. No wonder everyone was looking for him.

Reflection:
Why did Jesus place such a high priority on these times of solitude and silence?

Does solitude and silence have an expressed place in your rhythm of life?

Action:
If possible, pack your lunch and during your break drive to a secluded place. Eat lunch alone.

The goal isn’t necessarily to say anything to God, but simply to be with Him. (If the above example isn’t relative to your current season of life, you may want to think of some creative alternatives).

This can often be a challenging exercise, especially if we are used to being surrounded by constant stimuli and noise. Nonetheless, this was one of the secrets to Jesus’ strength – time alone with God in silence.

“Think often on God, by day, by night, in your business and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave Him not alone.”

Brother Lawrance
The Practice of the Presence of God, 49