[Jesus] withdrew again to a mountainside by Himself. (John 6:15)

Holidays can be a time of wholesome withdrawal from the distractions of our world allowing us to be alone with God. Many people in our society are afraid of solitude. They may be very unhappy, as Giovanni Papini indicates in his “Life of Christ:” “The people who cannot endure solitude are the mediocre and mean ones. They have nothing to offer, they are afraid of themselves, of their own emptiness.”

We read in the Gospels that on several occasions Jesus retired to quiet places where He could meditate and spend long hours in prayer to His Heavenly Father. Quite often He retreated on the eve of an important decision or event.

We are not prophets and, therefore, do not know for sure what Jesus thought about during His hours of solitude. We can surmise, however that He pondered what He would have to endure as the Servant who would soon suffer and die for the redemption of sinners. This task of love must have been on His mind, for He spoke of it: “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

Because Jesus was the Mediator between God and man, you and I are at peace with God, can come to the Father without fear, and are assured of many blessings as we commune with Him – alone and in the company of others.

PRAYER: Merciful God, I am not afraid to come to You, for I have been reconciled to You by Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Taken from “Our Journey with Jesus,” (out of print), copyright 1976, International Lutheran Laymen’s League.)

Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 99-100,102    Acts 17:16-34

To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select "Save Link As" or "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File As"