A Place of Solitude

Mark 1:35 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.

As I write this Blog, I am sitting in my room facing the window and watching the sun and the rain fight for space. I think to myself, which will win the battle. Even as I say that the sun wins and overtakes the rain. I am in Jamaica. Serving and lodging in the countryside. breath taking views, fresh air and hills. My mission team is on thier way to an Infimary (nursing home) to minister to the sick, the lonley and the lame. They will love on them, encourage them, pray with them and listen to their stories. It will be a moment they will never forget.

I love the opportunities the Lord has given to me to be able to serve in the way I get to. He has called me (and Cathy) into His service in Jamaica and we love every minute of it.

This morning was a morning that left such an impact on me. Words cannot express what my heart and mind felt. Being a minister for 25 years never prepared me for what transpired this morning. God was so ever present. Although what took place was between a man and God, I was brought into the mix. I listened! Like Peter, hiding behind a tree or a rock listening in, I too hid behing the window and curtains of my room.

Early this morning, shortly after sunrise, I heard a voice. A voice that cried out. Not in pain from some sort of physical issue but rather a cry of the heart. In he woods, up on a hillside about 150 yards from me was a man, sitting on some stone in solitude. He cried out in prayer to God for more than 30 minutes. I could feel the anguish in his heart as he prayed to the Father. He had no idea I was watching and listening. He lifted his voice to the heavens knowing that God was listening to his every word.

He cried out to his God begging for mercy, for hope, for grace. He praised Him like I have never heard praise before. Not to be seen or heard by man but in his solitude to God. He prayed for himself and with a repented heart asked for forgiveness, he prayed for his community that he could be used to reach the lost and be the mouth piece of Jesus. He prayed for the church that it would indeed be the bride of Christ and that the church would be spotless and be a light in the community. It went on and on and on. Groans of the heart.

I could not help but be moved by the cry of his heart. The faithfulness of his spirit. The trust he had in God to hear his moans. The love he has for the Father. I felt weak, humbled and embarrassed at my lack of faith by comparison. Solitude! I need solitude!

My mind began to think about the disciples. What it must have been like to sneak a listen to Jesus as He prayed in solitude to His Father. I can only imagine how His heart poured out, His moans and His cries to God for the people of this world. His love being cried out to God to hear. I can't imagine how the disciples must have felt as they intruded into Jesus' prayer to God. Thier hearts had to melt, they had to be moved to tears, they too must have felt weak.

I have a better understading of the disciples when they asked Jesus to teach them to pray. I have read those verse so many times, preached sermons on them. But did I really understand? Not until today! I thought I did but I was wrong. God showed me today what the disciples wanted to really understand. They heard Jesus pray, they, like me today, secretly listened in I am sure, and were broken.

Lord, teach me to pray! Teach us how to pray! Thank you for sending a man into the woods to pray to be Jesus to me today. Help me to find solitude that I can have a faith like that!

As we continue to serve here in Jamaica, please pray for us! Pray for spiritual strength, rest and solitude. Pray that we can be Jesus to others. Pray for our teams as they too minister and are ministered to. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!

Blessings

Brent