ABOUT YOU, YOUR TIME AND YOUR GOD!
I Ask...
Do you - “delight at times to retire from all mankind” —
in person, in sight, in sound, on screen —
“just to converse with God in solitary places”?
To retire to a solitary place, to enjoy a season of un-distracted focus on my Lord through his word?
WHERE IS A SOLITARY PLACE?
Is the place of loners... Living and being all by yourself. No companion, no associate no visitor, but just you. It isn't a mall, nor a cinema, nor an office... But a place of no one but you. A place where you choose to go alone, but might not want to be all alone! You might need to commune with an immortal being in such a place!
Just so you can pour out your heart in prayer, explore his word and get THE ROD to calm every roaring storm.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO GO TO A SOLITARY PLACE?
Because it's a secret place, where God needs to hear your voice only.....Not with you chilling with friends, family, colleagues or any other personal things you do. When I say Secret, I mean unknown to your mortal being.
There are places you visit everyday that you know you can't have a heart-to heart talk with God at... no matter how spiritual you claim to be, you will sure get distracted., and it isn't gonna be like it.
“Prayer is not an attempt to get God to agree with you or provide for your desires, but that it is both an affirmation of His sovereignty, righteousness, and majesty and an exercise to conform your desires and purposes to His will and Glory”
So You see why you need do this prayer somewhere, and not just anywhere.
EVEN JESUS HAD A QUIET TIME WITH GOD.
The Scripture tells us that Jesus departed into the mountain to be alone with the Father and that he was often "alone praying." If Jesus can seek a quiet time, and dedicate it to God his father, how much more we... who were purchased by grace.
Remember...
When Jesus had anything of great importance to say to his disciples, he always took them aside from the multitude. When he was transfigured, he took three of his disciples into a mountain apart from all the world. When he was one time alone praying with his disciples, he asked them who he was. Peter answered, "The Christ of God" (Luke 9:18). It was only when he was alone with them and after prayer that he could bring them into such nearness to him that they might know in their hearts that he was the Son of God. When amid the active duties of life and when in contact with the world, we can scarcely come into that sacred nearness to God that will enable us to feel in our hearts all that God is. We may get slight glimpses of his glory, we may occasionally get a dim view of some of his beauty, we may feel a little warming of his love in our bosoms; but only when alone with him are we awed into wonder at the sight of his glory and great beauty. It is only then that we see him in his purity and feel the warm sunshine of his love. It is only then that our hearts can be deeply impressed with the knowledge that he is God, and in child-likeness we can look up to him and call him Father.
The thing is, there are things God can't reveal to you amid the crowd... I'm sure he needs your time, attention and permission if not withstanding, in order to do so.
According to the book of Ist Samuel Chap 3 vs 3-4
3.The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
- Then the Lord called Samuel.
Now, Samuel was alone when The Lord called him
And the scripture made us to understand that he was lying down.. not praying. But the point is he was alone when God needed to speak to him.
From verse 4 to 11... The Lord called Samuel three times, and three times he answered the wrong person. Because he didn't know it was God all along. And the Lord never spoke to Samuel until the 4th call when Samuel beckoned on him to speak, because he was told by his master to do so(As Eli realized that it was God calling).
....God, needed Samuel's permission and attention so as to speak with him... because there was something he needed to say, as to reveal something. Yes! After that encounter Samuel had with God, his Purpose and Will on earth was revealed. Eli Knew from the setting.
According to the book of Exodus chapter 3... Moses was alone in the mountains when God showed himself to him.
He wasn't with Aaron nor his Sister, but all alone not even with the flock!.
Now, it's clearer, cos it doesn't matter who you are, what you are, what you do, who you work for, or what you are going through...but your disposition matters most.
DEDICATED TIME FOR YOUR MAKER...
There are just so much you might never get to know about God, and yourself until you spend sometime alone.
That doesn't mean he won't speak to you in public, but there are just so much that he can't reveal ... not even when you are just alone all by yourself... I mean in the flesh.
Messages can be misread and misinterpreted swiftly by the canal mind.
Time Alone helps you to discover God and also to find yourself... The truth is “Without a proper view of God there cannot exist a proper view of man.”
Anybody can have a quiet time, but not anybody can converse with God in his/her quiet time.
According to Edwards- "such is not simply the instinct of the introvert,
but a desire God’s Spirit sows in every heart he enlightens".
Answer:
If such desire is low or indiscernible at this time, now is the time to ask God to awaken it.
And whatever desire is there, great or small, take the simple, but often difficult steps of saying no to some otherwise good things, and give way to your urge to be alone with Jesus.
Not only do the redeemed delight to be alone, on occasion, with their Redeemer, but it is also his delight to commune with his people — not only in public, but also in secret.
We all have a hunger to know why we’re here. We all possess an insatiable desire for love, passion, and purpose. Maybe you’ve had a relationship with God for years. Maybe you’re still trying to figure out if God even exists or if he is knowable. Wherever you are in your journey with God, know this—God longs to satisfy your hunger. He knows everything about you.
When You Spend time ALONE with God... You Encounter him and get to know more about his character.
So how does God desire to bring about transformation? YOU MIGHT ASK
And also want to know What his perfect plans are, for filling your days with passion, purpose, and love?
God’s main avenue for transformation is through spending time alone with him every day.
No matter where you are in your relationship with God, time spent in the presence of your
Creator receiving a tangible revelation of his steadfast love will be the catalyst to living a life
transformed. Just as a candle must be ignited with a flame to burn, so you must continuously
encounter the fire of God’s love to live a transformed, joy-filled life. He is the only constant source
that you have.
There are things you won't go for in life, when you understand who you are in God, and what he means for you.
Always know that--Whatever & Whenever You allocate time and substance to something, it surely yields.
Try God out, in Time... Alone!!!