For a Time

However, he [Yeshua] made a practice of withdrawing to remote places in order to pray.
Luke 5:16 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Today, I had a fully illustrated sermonette of this Scripture. I chose to go to the office today to catch up on a task that required concentrated time alone - without interruption. Without distractions. Without noise. Without others... A task I have tried to complete in full for 59 days. I haven't been lazy about it. I've just been busy. 

Twice in the last few months, we've packed and unpacked our entire office for a complete remodel. There was much that went into that. Just to give you the gist, we'd been in the building for 15 years. You can accumulate a lot of stuff... But the day-to-day still needed to be done, etc, and on it goes. 

However, today being Saturday of a holiday weekend, no one else was in the office. I went with the express purpose of completing this task that has been such a stressor, always needing to be done. And it was in the quietness of the afternoon that I realized why Jesus withdrew to remote places to pray. Without interruption. Without distractions. Without noise. Without others...  for a time.

Isaiah 30:15 ESV, reads, For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,  Isaiah 55:6-7 NKJV, Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 

Prayer:

Father,

          O, that we would heed all of Your Word! Oftentimes, we are unwilling to be in quietness and trust; please forgive us. We recognize it is only in our time alone with You that our strength is renewed. Only when we purposely put away the distractions - the cares of this world, are we able to find peace and clarity of thought. Help us, Holy Spirit, to stay focused on God's Truths, so we can quickly recognize deceptive distractions. Change our hearts to want more of You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen