Alone

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

ALONE

Luke 5:15-16

15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

NIV

Even though he had told the leper to not say anything but go show himself to the priest, which we understand under the law, was to make sacrifice, wash, sacrifice, wash, wait and then the priest would announce him clean. The leper must have told people, as well as it may have been possible someone saw Jesus heal that leper. This of course would have really caused a stir, as leprosy was an awful thing which caused people to have to leave home, leave society as it were and generally become homeless, living outside the city. Yet people came flocking to Jesus with all sorts of illnesses and infirmities and it is implied he healed them all. Luke does not tell us that, nor does he say anything about whether Jesus taught them as well, but we must assume Jesus took every opportunity to teach people about the kingdom of God, even as he healed people. What Luke does tell us that Jesus was so overwhelmed with people, with teaching, with healing, all day and possibly into the night, and the next day that he also needed time alone to pray. This is the lesson for us. Although we can gather together to worship our Lord, and we can join together for prayer as we are told that when two of us on earth agree on one thing it will be done for us, and that when two or more are gathered in his name he will be among us. Yet there is also this truth that we need solitary time along with God in prayer. This is our personal time of refreshment. Gathering together to worship or pray may bring results from God, or even encouragement from the other believers, but we need that alone time. These are the times we hear from God. These are the times we can discuss our most intimate things with him. This is when we are strengthened, when we are truly encouraged. This is when we are given the direction of our lives. Yes, God can intervene in the most crowded of situations, but that alone time is quiet time, time we can pray, talk and most of all listen to God. These are the times he can speak truth into our hearts and minds. Our attention, our focus is completely on him, not being distracted by others, by their voices, their words, their appearance, their worship and prayers. This alone time is the only time others are not seeking our attention, as they did of Jesus, always looking for us to pay attention to them, respond, agree with them, pray for them, heal them in a sense. If Jesus needed time to withdraw to a lonely place then all the more we do. We need time to be alone with God.