In my devotion last week, I came across a familiar passage that resonated with me. In Luke 5:16, we are told that, “But he [Jesus] would withdraw to desolate places and pray”.
In the busyness of life in this fast-paced world, often finding a quiet time to be with the Lord can be a bit of a challenge. The issue is never because one doesn’t have enough time in a day, it is rather a matter of understanding our priorities and what we value the most.
From the Gospels, we see that Jesus often withdrew to desolate places, not because he was an introvert and needed time alone, but rather because he cherished the quiet time of prayer. We are told that He would often withdraw from the crowd, the busyness, the limelight of fame, in order to pray. He would often do so in the evening or very early in the morning. Our Lord and Saviour treasured the secret place, for it was in that place of prayer that He was directed, empowered, and filled anew with the Holy Spirit for the ministry of the Kingdom.
If the Son of God in human flesh prioritised His quiet time with the Father, then as his disciples this must also be a treasured time for us. Jesus did not just fit this into his day. The quiet time was not an afterthought. His day began and ended with prayer.
My encouragement to you is to (re)discover the treasure of the secret place. In that place there is power, peace, direction, assurance, comfort, and all that one may need. It must be the most valuable time of our day, as it was with our Lord.
Take up the challenge to rediscover the secret place again.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” Psalm 91:1
Blessings,
Chris Eke
