2009-11-02

Devotion - Alone Time with God

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" (Luk 3:1-6)


Tiberias Caesar became emperor on August 19th, 14 A.D. This would date this preaching of John and the following start of Christ’s ministry at 29 A.D. since it was in the fifteenth year of Tiberias.

We see the narrative going back to John the Baptist, and specifically him preparing the way for Christ and His ministry. Prior to John preparing the way we read that the word of God came to him “in the wilderness.” This is not to be thought of as a wilderness in the sense of fighting wild beasts, struggling for survival, or anything of the like. Rather, it’s a wilderness of solitude; the word itself carrying the meaning of being solitary and secluded.

God speaks to us most powerfully when He speaks to us most quietly. And we are better equipped to hear God’s soft voice when we are less distracted by the loud things around that all fight for our attention. Elijah is also witness to this truth as he heard God’s voice in a whisper…

And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1Ki 19:11-13)


Are you spending enough time alone with God, separated from the distractions that all fight for your attention? Do you make time to sneak away and be alone with God that you may hear His voice as He speaks to you in the Scripture? Do you covet the time that you can spend with Him in secret prayer, wrestling with him in it as Jacob wrestled with him and took hold of Him (Gen 32:24-30)?

May we learn how to make alone time with God a priority, that we would seek Him in the intimacy of our prayer closets.

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