Drink it in!
As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.[1] Luke 5:16
As often as possible, Jesus went to be alone. Ministry is exhausting. Everyone wants something from you. Now think about it for a second, Jesus was and is God. When He walked this earth filled with God’s power, He healed, comforted, waged war against the Devil and the religious establishment. He loved, and lavished Himself on others. He also knew that three years after He began His ministry he’d be betrayed and tortured and maligned and killed in the most painful way we can imagine. As I think of it I am amazed, humbled, and disgusted with my complaining. Jesus would withdraw, when He had time, to pray and seek solitude. As someone in ministry I cannot express how valuable my time of solitude is. Just to be still is so glorious sometimes. I got up this morning and headed out to the woods for a run as I do at least once a week. It was a beautiful SC morning. Spring is coming, a bit chilly but wow what a morning. The woods are alive now. Birds are declaring the start of the day, squirrels are dashing about here and there. The forest here is so quiet too. The long leaf pine needles thatch a shag carpet every where. Its soft and quiet and it amplifies all the sounds around you, the air droning through the pine boughs, the distant sounds of 100’s of song birds it was glorious. In the distance though, I could hear the rifles at FT Jackson. It reminded me of all the soldiers that are there training, all the ones who I minister to. As I walked I began to think of how tired I get just listening to the same story over and over again. But then God reminded me of why I was in the woods. I looked up through those trees and heard Him say, “Behold, My Glory!” That was it and that was all I needed. In the midst of God’s Creation I heard Him speak, “Behold, my glory”. I stopped dead in my tracks, drank every precious second in of God making Himself known to me. I stopped, because those moments are fleeting and we need them. Because after coming out of the woods it’s back to the Matrix, back to the world of cell phones blaring and emails and the day to day grind. But just to behold the glory of God, to sense His power, His approval, His anointing was more than enough for today.
[1]Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Lk 5:16). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.
As often as possible, Jesus went to be alone. Ministry is exhausting. Everyone wants something from you. Now think about it for a second, Jesus was and is God. When He walked this earth filled with God’s power, He healed, comforted, waged war against the Devil and the religious establishment. He loved, and lavished Himself on others. He also knew that three years after He began His ministry he’d be betrayed and tortured and maligned and killed in the most painful way we can imagine. As I think of it I am amazed, humbled, and disgusted with my complaining. Jesus would withdraw, when He had time, to pray and seek solitude. As someone in ministry I cannot express how valuable my time of solitude is. Just to be still is so glorious sometimes. I got up this morning and headed out to the woods for a run as I do at least once a week. It was a beautiful SC morning. Spring is coming, a bit chilly but wow what a morning. The woods are alive now. Birds are declaring the start of the day, squirrels are dashing about here and there. The forest here is so quiet too. The long leaf pine needles thatch a shag carpet every where. Its soft and quiet and it amplifies all the sounds around you, the air droning through the pine boughs, the distant sounds of 100’s of song birds it was glorious. In the distance though, I could hear the rifles at FT Jackson. It reminded me of all the soldiers that are there training, all the ones who I minister to. As I walked I began to think of how tired I get just listening to the same story over and over again. But then God reminded me of why I was in the woods. I looked up through those trees and heard Him say, “Behold, My Glory!” That was it and that was all I needed. In the midst of God’s Creation I heard Him speak, “Behold, my glory”. I stopped dead in my tracks, drank every precious second in of God making Himself known to me. I stopped, because those moments are fleeting and we need them. Because after coming out of the woods it’s back to the Matrix, back to the world of cell phones blaring and emails and the day to day grind. But just to behold the glory of God, to sense His power, His approval, His anointing was more than enough for today.
[1]Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Lk 5:16). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.
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