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READ: Mark 1:35
CHALLENGE: Seek Solitude with God
Vv35-37 – 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. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
I’m truly fascinated by Jesus and I’m challenged as well. There’s always more to learn and more room to grow in our knowledge and walk with God.
Our society today needs Christ’s example. He MADE TIME to spend with God. This is a key in living a busy life filled with deadlines and responsibilities. This life is filled to the brim with busyness. We’re like the bees buzzing on the flowers of sport schedules, band schedules, family schedules, projects, get togethers, 4H, homework, chores, etc. It’s a constant buzzing of activity.
Jesus had people practically beating his door down. The bees of busyness buzzing all around! Listen to the words of his disciples – “Everyone is looking for you”. We know you did a lot but there is MORE! Imagine the pressure on Christ with so much going on. So many needs, problems, and demands on his time and talents. It confronted him daily as it does us.
Twenty-One Pilots sang that song Stressed Out – “I wish I found some better sounds no one’s ever heard. I wish I had a better voice that sang better words. I wish I found some chords in an order that is new. I wish I didn’t have to rhyme every time I sang. I was told when I got older, all my fears would shrink. But now I’m insecure and I care what people think. Wish we could turn back time to the good old days when our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out. We’re stressed out”!
Recent studies are suggesting that 70% of ages 18-39 is neurotic. This means anxious and fearful. The older ages aren’t doing a whole lot better but the older you are, the less stressed you are. Probably, because we all grew up in lean times and learned to cope. However, there are raising anxiety levels in our land.
Here we are on a Labor Day weekend and we get tomorrow off but we understand feeling stressed out. Despite the pressures, Jesus did not cross out time with God and neither should we. Quiet moments with our Heavenly Father help us to deal with stress.
(trans.) Let’s follow the simple example of Jesus!
- SEEK THE SOLITUDE
- Be Disciplined
He rose first thing in the morning while it was still dark. Where did it start? He got up! When you have a lot to do, you can’t afford to lay around! Get up – get going. This is probably one of the keys to success in anything. Get up! And perhaps, get up earlier. Admittedly, this is the discipline lacking at times. I’ll try to run 3x a week and sometimes it’s only 2x. You feel tired. You want to lay in bed. But you have to push yourself and do it anyway. It takes discipline.
What needs to get done? Get up and get going! Could be preparing for a project – could be organizing part of your world or cleaning the house or fixing the brakes or paying bills. Get up – get going. When it comes to spiritual things, we also need the discipline to get going.
Jesus was disciplined. Getting up early was not convenient per se, and that’s why it takes disicpline. And sometimes getting to that point happens one inch at a time. It’s one small step such as going to be earlier. You’re slowly readjusting to make time for important things.
If it was important to Jesus, it should be important to us as well. On a scale of 1-10, how disciplined are we spiritually? I remember, as a young person, telling God that if he gave me the desire to read the Bible, I’d get busy and read it. God reminded me that I needed to obey and then the desire would be there. You cannot allow desire to be the main indicator of behavior. If I go by desire, I’ll eat an entire bag of whatever it is I’m eating, popcorn to pretzels to cookies to black jelly beans.
An obvious application from this story would be to get up earlier to make time for spiritual things. The reason that Jesus did it then was because there wouldn’t be time for it later. Do it now or you might not do it at all. What a great way to start every day.
- Overcome Distractions
To have time with God requires some stepping away from the clatter and the noise of life. He left the house. He got away from the stir of morning chores. Got away from conversations. He got away from distractions.
Eliminating distractions is important when praying. Perhaps take a walk. Step away from the television. Make sure you’re not by your computer hearing dings. Put your phone away. Oh man, this is challenging, isn’t it? We’re glued to the phone most times and that’s not healthy either.
One of the issues we have as a society is cell phone addiction. We’re so used to scrolling. So used to being at everyone’s beck and call. So used to getting texts and messages. This is an issue.
50% of people admit that they are addicted to their phones. If we define addiction as “The use of substances or behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences,” then smartphone addiction probably afflicts us all.
According to Dr Tiller and A Skeptics Guide to Sport Science, “Excessive smartphone use is consistently associated with depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention-deficit hyperactive disorder, loneliness, chronic stress, low self-esteem, and other negative emotions.”
Addiction has that weird dynamic. What you’re doing hurts you and makes you feel awful but then you feel like you need to do more of what is making you feel awful to feel less awful!! And it gets worse.
Jesus got up early and talked with God. He was connected to nature and to God. Humanity needs that and the phone may be in the way. Perhaps we need to walk away from it when we’re spending time with God. Let’s not have it handy. Take a break!!
These things can also interfere in your human relationships as well. Jesus got where he could be distraction free. He left the house!
- Find Solitude
Jesus finds a solitary place and it at least means lonely and devoid of people.
What do you think of that? Do you ever long for solitude? I’m sure you do. Find a solitary place to talk with God. Sometimes I fear that we love all of the noise and hub bub. I like to drive down the road and listen to music or run and listen to podcasts. I love that. I’m not a huge fan of quiet!! But it’s OK to sit quietly at times. It’s good for us.
We are blessed to live in a rural area. We have the greenway trail. I have a patio and really need to seek that solitude more often. Solitude doesn’t mean that no one can possibly reach you because they obviously found Jesus Christ. It just means it’s a spot for you to ponder God quietly by yourself.
I wonder if we give ourselves enough margin in the schedule to actually just be quiet with the Lord? Or do we bounce from one obligation to the next? We need to create space for it. My barn has been a lot like our schedules. I was struggling with space in the last year so what was I to do? I’ve been working at creating space by selling things, especially furniture. I’ve sold a lot. I’ve reorganized. Just this past week a man came by to buy a chair and then he asked me about this antique dresser I had. I was happy to help load that big dresser into his vehicle. A little bit later someone bought a pedal car I had. The next day someone came for a blanket chest. But there’s no room unless I make room.
If you’re waiting to be less busy to connect with God, you might be waiting a long time. Make it happen! Make the time and that means that you might need to do less stuff. I appreciate all who make time to come to church. You’re battling and making sure that you have time to worship.
How about we get up and get going and build a little solitude into our lives!
- TALK TO GOD
The reason he got up. The reason he looked for solitude was so that he could pray.
- Talk to God
What’s prayer really about? Is it only about saying words directed to God in heaven? My prayers are definitely saying or thinking words. Lord, help so and so. Heal this marriage. It’s a lot of requests.
As to us, it’s good to remember that prayer builds a relationship with God. We’re not just talking to a power or a picture on a wall. We’re talking to a person. So, Jesus is out in the wilderness in order to talk to His Heavenly Father.
Prayer is not just saying words or putting words in a certain order. Isn’t what Jesus is doing deeper? I want to challenge myself here. It’s not spitting out words, it’s building a relationship with the Almighty. And even appreciating God. As I study psalms I’m impressed by how important praising God is!
What would Jesus pray about? Jesus was the answer to prayer which is amazing to ponder. I don’t know if Jesus would have prayed for God to heal John. Why? He would have already healed him. So, I can’t imagine Jesus being in the same boat that I’m in – not in that way. However, prayer was an important part of his life here on earth and He gained strength from it.
He had healed in the synagogue. He had healed the mother-in-law of Peter. He had healed potentially dozens of people. Did this drain him? When the woman with the blood disease touched his garment, he felt the power leave. I would have to imagine that it was tiring at some level. We know that when he was tempted the angels strengthened him so there had to be at least a spiritual refueling to face what was next. He needed strength and so do we. We need to refuel daily for what’s next.
Jesus wanted God glorified and for people to believe. John 11:41-42 – “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
We are told to pray for all kinds of people because God wants all to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That’s a fair thing to pray for. In the Lord’s prayer he prays for people to hallow God’s name and to do His will.
We also make petition. I pray for the sick and hurting and struggling. We should! Pray for all of the saints.
When I think about what prayer is, it’s dependence on God. It’s me leaning on the Lord. I’m not self-reliant. I believe that pure self-reliance is foolish in that you won’t get as far. The great things that have happened in my life have come as a result of team effort.
Prayer is leaning on a magnificent Heavenly Father who made the heavens and the earth. He has power. The ultimate team effort is with God. And I rely on him for the things that I encounter. Praise, petition, reliance, strength, wisdom, forgiveness are all great things to pray about.
You think as the sun rises prayers are spreading across the globe! Everyone arising in turn and calling out on God. Why? We need strength and wisdom and answers.
- DON’T TRY TO DO EVERYTHING
They come and hunt him down. Everyone is looking for you. Hey, we need you now! People are expecting you to be here. This is the cry of the urgent – you need to do something right now. Will he? He will not. He is not jumping because someone says to jump. This is where you need to know what it is that God is calling you to do as opposed to what everyone else is calling you to do.
First of all, no one can do everything. I get into this situation myself sometimes. There are plenty of things that are great that you can involve yourself with but what are the most important? Jesus does not allow the voices of the urgent to distract him from his mission.
Since you can’t do everything, you have to make choices. One thing that I learned long ago was that if you don’t schedule your time, someone else will. There’s nothing wrong with saying “no” because you have other things you’re committed to doing. Jesus said “no”. He was not staying there just because they wanted him to. Sometimes the important commitment is your family.
I have more things to do in a week than can be done. There are times when I cannot meet with someone because I’ve already committed to other things are also important. And since I can’t clone myself and be in two places at the same time, I have to make cuts. Can’t do it all.
We spoke last week about keeping your family a priority and you need to schedule time for them. There’s nothing wrong with making commitments to spend time with family. What’s most important?
Think of Mary and Martha. Mary spent time listening to Jesus. Martha was working on all the chores. You can wash dishes later. Again, not either or, but sometimes we miss important moments because something else less important is whining more loudly. The important voices are not nearly as loud as the urgent voices.
Your spouse calls you out to see a sunset but you dilly dally washing a pot and by the time you get out there, that moment is gone. You get certain chances to spend with your children, catch them now before they’re gone. I learned through Ecclesiastes that no one will remember what my lawn looked like but my family will remember if I gave them time.
Many of us have sped through the summer. That’s fine, hopefully we’ve done things that build into family and our souls and not just wear us out! As they say, less is more. Especially when less means more time with God. Make time for the important things.
- FOCUS ON YOUR MISSION
Vv38-39 – Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Why not give in to the urgent demands of others? It was because He had to preach in other villages too. That is why I have come. I appreciate the importance of communicating the truth as a purpose for existence. He knows why he’s here and that helps him to balance out schedule. The requests and needs are endless.
Jesus has just prayed and he’s getting guidance. A good rule of thumb would be that before you say yes to something – talk to God about it.
We’re not just victims of busyness because we decide what we do and what we don’t do. He traveled around and he preached in synagogues and he drove out demons.
What is your purpose? Are you on track or getting blown off course by the winds of demands and problems or putting out fires perhaps. Demands and drama can eat up a lot of time. Keep focused.
Where is your time going? I know some in our church who feel like their mission is to visit people in hospitals and ahead of surgery. That’s an awesome thing! That will help you to make decisions.
Romans 12:6-8 – We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
How might this apply to us? Our job is not to cater to every whim. We can’t do everything. It’s not all my calling so I leave jobs to people to whom it is tasked. I don’t need to be mowing lawns. I don’t need to be figuring out utility costs. It would be wrong to do everything. I want to focus on communication and teaching. When each person works on their role, we have success!
Perhaps your mission is found in the areas in which you shine. In other words, you’re naturally gifted. Take your talent and pour it in there. I love giving people a chance to shine!
What is your mission? Do it! This actually helps with stress because we’re not just focused on ourselves. We’re focused on serving and that is awesome in and of itself. If we’re obsessed with our problems with a laser beam focus, that’s stressful.
Seek solitude, talk to God, don’t try to do everything, focus on your mission