Dear Family and Friends,

Out of curiosity, I calculated how much time I’ve spent in airplanes.

As many of you know I traveled a lot for work during my pre-pastoral years. So much so, my dear wife raised the kids as a single mom.

To date, I’ve spent at least 6,000 flight hours in airplanes, and that’s only on one of many airlines used.

What does flying have to do with the teachings of the Bible?

Being cooped up in a tube with no distractions and no access to the rest of the world presents a picture of how to follow Paul’s directions found in Roman’s 12:2 NIV.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

Paul tells us to not fashion our lives after the ways of the world. But he doesn’t tell us how.

Jesus did. In fact He showed us multiple times how to not conform to the pattern of this world. He did it by seeking solitude.

Let’s examine a few of Jesus’ quiet moments in the Gospels.

One of the predominant patterns of our world is the chase after temptations – mini gods that steal our hearts and minds from God.

Our world is filled with people who succumb to temptations and sell their souls for money, fame or power.

But Jesus was not one of them. He withdrew into solitude to avoid being swept up by the temptations of the world.

“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”  John‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Another pattern of our world is our busy lives. There’s never enough time to do what needs to get done. And how often do we cut short our time with God when life demands our time.

Jesus was busy too. But He withdrew from the crowds, and left the work for another day to spend time with the Father.

“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. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  ‭‭Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How often do we make decisions – then ask God to bless them.

Not so with Jesus. He withdrew to pray and receive the Father’s direction before making decisions.

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:”  ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We each have our own way of dealing with bad news. Denial, anger, rationalization, depression, and acceptance just to name a few. 

Jesus, on the other hand, withdrew to a solitary place when He heard bad news. And spent those emotional times with the Father.

“When Jesus heard what had happened (John the Baptist was beheaded), he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Many of us think success means we are doing God’s will. So, we continue doing what we’re doing.

But not Jesus. After a busy evening healing diseases and driving out demons, Jesus went off for quiet time with the Father.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”  ‭‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭35‬ ‭NIV‬‬

After spending time with the Father, Jesus told His disciples they would be moving on. It appears He was reminded that His mission included preaching at other villages as well.

✞ ✞ ✞

Henri Nouwen wrote, “Solitude is the furnace of transformation. Without solitude, we remain victims of our society and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self.

Solitude is the place of the great struggle and the great encounter-the struggle against the compulsions of the false self, and the encounter with the loving God who offers himself as the substance of the new self.”

Solitude helped Jesus renew His mind. It will help us as well.

In love always,