From the February 26 sermon on "Solitude":
Jesus continually practiced solitude . . . here are some examples:
In Luke 6 before He chooses the 12 disciples, He spends an entire night alone in the desert hills.
After hearing the news that John the Baptist had died, Matthew 14.13 says, "As soon as Jesus heard the news, He left in a boat to a remote area to be alone."
Later on in that same chapter after the frenzy of feeding 5,000 it says, "After sending them home, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. Night fell while He was there alone."
In Mark 1 right after He has spent a long night healing and casting out demons it says, "Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray" (1.35).
Luke 15 tells us that after He healed a leper He "withdrew to the wilderness and prayed."
Right before His death we find that Jesus seeks the solitude of the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26.
Getting Started with Solitude:
- Do you practice solitude? Why or why not?
- Have you ever experienced solitude well? What was that like? How did you leave that time?
- How can you take advantage of the ‘little solitudes’ that fill your day? Think of the places you have normal silence and solitude throughout your day. How can you practice that in a different way?
- Find or develop a quiet place for silence and solitude.
