“JESUS WOULD WITHDRAW TO DESOLATE PLACES AND PRAY!”

 Luke 5:15-16                    (ESV)

“[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 (JESUS) WOULD WITHDRAW TO DESOLATE PLACES AND PRAY.”

Life can be so CONVOLUTED, especially when we fail to GET ALONE and communicate with our HEAVENLY FATHER!  Before I get into my thoughts, CONVOLUTED has several synonyms in the dictionary: complicated; intricate; complex, sophisticated; tangled; elaborate, difficult; incomprehensible and inexplicable are but a few of them!  Now, read the first part of the previous sentence again!  Life can be so CONVOLUTED!!!

Exactly what can we do to GET ALONE with our CREATOR???  In my experience, being placed in a coma is a SURE FIRE example of NOT being “in control”!!!  But that happens to very few of humanity, so that isn’t a good example.  LETTING GO keeps coming to my mind, explicitly and intentionally connecting with our CREATOR to get a clear direction on what/how/when/where HE wants to cause us to be used for and by HIM!!!

JESUS CHRIST had JUST healed a diseased man with leprosy, an almost fatal disease that was prevalent during HIS physical time on earth.  Most people I know would have celebrated this happening with their compadres???  But JESUS the King James Version says “HE withdrew HIMSELF into the wilderness, and prayed”!!!  GOD IN FLESH displayed the importance of SPENDING TIME WITH THE FATHER, even though HE HIMSELF said in John 10:30 “I and the FATHER are ONE.”  

Why then did JESUS need to WITHDRAW when HE and THE FATHER were ONE?  There are many answers to this question, but the main reason for me is because JESUS wanted to display the INTENTIONAL effort required to CONNECT with THE FATHER!!!  I do NOT believe humanity can fathom what being in the PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD is TRULY akin to.  But “JESUS WOULD WITHDRAW TO DESOLATE PLACES AND PRAY” should give us a a glimpse of the PRIVILEGE and HONOR that experience is????  Why do I allow satan to rob me of the MONUMENTAL occurrence of this in my life????