“HE WOULD WITHDRAW!”

Luke 5:12-16                                (ESV)

“12 While HE (JESUS) was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw JESUS, he fell on his face and begged HIM, "LORD, if YOU will, YOU can make me clean."

13 And JESUS stretched out HIS hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him.

14 And HE charged him to tell no one, but "go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them."

15 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.”

Most are more than likely aware of my love for Psalms 46:10 and it’s encouragement to BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!  While reading the above passage of Scripture recently I was made to STOP upon reading Mark 5:16.  However, the verse “But “HE WOULD WITHDRAW” TO DESOLATE PLACES AND PRAY” does not reveal the obvious things that me praying would be saying.  This prayer was from GOD IN THE FLESH, WHO glorified GOD on earth with the same “glory that I had with YOU before the world existed” (John 17:5).  Yet JESUS still, on numerous occasions, would “WITHDRAW” to be alone with HIS FATHER and pray!

In these verses, JESUS has just healed a leper, a man who was “full of the disease”.  A mortal man would have more than likely stayed around and gloried a bit in his accomplishments.  But JESUS “WOULD WITHDRAW TO DESOLATE PLACES AND PRAY.”  Spending time with HIS FATHER was something that HE cherished, probably far more than we would imagine.  Receiving adulations from humans wasn’t even on the same stratosphere as communing with GOD ALMIGHTY!  

We humans have a difficult time tuning out “this world” and listening to the ONE WHO created us.  Honestly, if we could “get just a glimpse” of WHO GOD really is, I doubt that I would want to do anything BUT speak with and to HIM!  There is a meme showing “us” going into prayer as little kittens, and coming out from praying as MIGHTY LIONS!  Perhaps JESUS was the same way?  When HE spent time with HIS FATHER, HE was energized and emboldened, knowing that HE was empowered by GOD ALMIGHTY?  

JESUS was not just trying to get away from others, “HE WOULD WITHDRAW” so HIS PRAYER time wasn’t interrupted.  There was NOTHING more important than HIS fellowship with the FATHER!  Why do I seem to always find other “things” to place ahead of my spending time with my FATHER?  Perhaps I should get alone with GOD and PRAY more often, more diligently, more frequently?  If I relished PRAYING as much as GOD wants to hear from me, maybe I would have a different view of “HE WOULD WITHDRAW”???