“In these days he [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12, ESV)
“In a letter to his friends, hymn writer Wendell P. Loveless related this story:
One evening a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth, but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn’t know how to turn it on. As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, passers by noted his plight and said, “Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door.” To the visitor’s amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call.
In a similar way, when we draw aside in a quiet place to pray, we must block out our busy world and open our hearts to the Father. Our darkened world of disappointments and trials will then be illuminated. We will enter into communion with God, we will sense His presence, and we will be assured of His provision for us. Our Lord often went to be alone with the Heavenly Father. Sometimes it was after a busy day of preaching and healing, as in today’s Scripture reading. At other times, it was before making a major decision (Luke 6:12).” (from “Our Daily Bread” as listed in 10,000 Sermon Illustrations)
Life has its ups and downs. It has twists and turns, accidents and surprises. Moments of your life may be filled with chaos or angst. There might be times of turmoil or worry or fear. So often, people turn to the wrong things to bring peace to the turmoil. They take antidepressants, anxiety medications, illicit drugs, alcohol, marijuana, opiates, and more. They overspend, overwork, overdo, overeat. So often, people handle the chaos of life with medicines or actions that placate part of the body. Anxiety drugs may ease the mind. Opiates and alcohol and illicit drugs may make you numb to the world for a short while. A buying spree might satiate your urges, but it won’t help your financial situation. All in all, people choose to deal with the turmoil in life by medicating the body and emptying their mind. Sadly, they do not realize that all these actions do nothing for the soul. When your world is in chaos, your soul is also affected. Illicit drugs and buying sprees do NOTHING to help the soul to deal with the turmoil. There is only one thing that can heal and quiet the heart, mind, and soul: communing with God.
When in the presence of God, something happens to body, mind, and soul. They feel at ease. They let go of pain. Worldly people don’t know what it’s like to have a body and mind and soul at true peace. They are so busy treating their conditions and insecurities with drugs and worldly remedies that they do not realize that their soul is thirsty for the peace that only comes from being in the presence of God (“the peace that passes all understanding”-Philippians 4:7). If you find that you are about to face something big or your world has been shaken up, go spend time with God. It is the only way to feel comfort and peace and wholeness in your whole self.
In the scripture for today, Jesus was about to deliver the “Sermon on the Mount” to masses of people. It was to be a big day. His message was crucially important. What did Jesus do before this big day? He spent time with God the Father in prayer. Luke 6:12 tells us that Jesus “went out to the mountain to pray”. He did not spend a few minutes with God in a hurried-up prayer to get it over with. He spent “all night” talking to God the Father. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were “filled with Fury” and in an uproar about recent events (Luke 6:11). Jesus, whose life was threatened, went to God the Father and prayed a good long while. Jesus spent valuable time alone with God the Father. They talked all night long. While the Pharisees continued to feed their fury and fumed over unauthorized healings, Jesus felt comfort and peace from God the Father. While the Pharisees were caught up in their worldly turmoil. Jesus was preparing for a big moment of His life. In the quiet of the mountain, alone with the Heavenly Father, Jesus gathered strength and poise for the coming day.
When your world is filled with uncertainties and turmoil, turn your attention to alone time with God the Father. Follow Jesus’ example. Look for real, lasting peace in body, mind, and soul. Spend important moments in prayer. If you are serious about being alone with God, opening up your soul, listening for God’s voice; you will find that your body, mind, and soul will all be put at ease. No matter how tumultuous your life may be, God can bring a peace that passes all understanding, a wholeness that brings ultimate comfort.
So, what are you waiting for? Do you have some time now to quietly listen for the voice of God?
One evening a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth, but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn’t know how to turn it on. As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, passers by noted his plight and said, “Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door.” To the visitor’s amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call.
In a similar way, when we draw aside in a quiet place to pray, we must block out our busy world and open our hearts to the Father. Our darkened world of disappointments and trials will then be illuminated. We will enter into communion with God, we will sense His presence, and we will be assured of His provision for us. Our Lord often went to be alone with the Heavenly Father. Sometimes it was after a busy day of preaching and healing, as in today’s Scripture reading. At other times, it was before making a major decision (Luke 6:12).” (from “Our Daily Bread” as listed in 10,000 Sermon Illustrations)
Life has its ups and downs. It has twists and turns, accidents and surprises. Moments of your life may be filled with chaos or angst. There might be times of turmoil or worry or fear. So often, people turn to the wrong things to bring peace to the turmoil. They take antidepressants, anxiety medications, illicit drugs, alcohol, marijuana, opiates, and more. They overspend, overwork, overdo, overeat. So often, people handle the chaos of life with medicines or actions that placate part of the body. Anxiety drugs may ease the mind. Opiates and alcohol and illicit drugs may make you numb to the world for a short while. A buying spree might satiate your urges, but it won’t help your financial situation. All in all, people choose to deal with the turmoil in life by medicating the body and emptying their mind. Sadly, they do not realize that all these actions do nothing for the soul. When your world is in chaos, your soul is also affected. Illicit drugs and buying sprees do NOTHING to help the soul to deal with the turmoil. There is only one thing that can heal and quiet the heart, mind, and soul: communing with God.
When in the presence of God, something happens to body, mind, and soul. They feel at ease. They let go of pain. Worldly people don’t know what it’s like to have a body and mind and soul at true peace. They are so busy treating their conditions and insecurities with drugs and worldly remedies that they do not realize that their soul is thirsty for the peace that only comes from being in the presence of God (“the peace that passes all understanding”-Philippians 4:7). If you find that you are about to face something big or your world has been shaken up, go spend time with God. It is the only way to feel comfort and peace and wholeness in your whole self.
In the scripture for today, Jesus was about to deliver the “Sermon on the Mount” to masses of people. It was to be a big day. His message was crucially important. What did Jesus do before this big day? He spent time with God the Father in prayer. Luke 6:12 tells us that Jesus “went out to the mountain to pray”. He did not spend a few minutes with God in a hurried-up prayer to get it over with. He spent “all night” talking to God the Father. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were “filled with Fury” and in an uproar about recent events (Luke 6:11). Jesus, whose life was threatened, went to God the Father and prayed a good long while. Jesus spent valuable time alone with God the Father. They talked all night long. While the Pharisees continued to feed their fury and fumed over unauthorized healings, Jesus felt comfort and peace from God the Father. While the Pharisees were caught up in their worldly turmoil. Jesus was preparing for a big moment of His life. In the quiet of the mountain, alone with the Heavenly Father, Jesus gathered strength and poise for the coming day.
When your world is filled with uncertainties and turmoil, turn your attention to alone time with God the Father. Follow Jesus’ example. Look for real, lasting peace in body, mind, and soul. Spend important moments in prayer. If you are serious about being alone with God, opening up your soul, listening for God’s voice; you will find that your body, mind, and soul will all be put at ease. No matter how tumultuous your life may be, God can bring a peace that passes all understanding, a wholeness that brings ultimate comfort.
So, what are you waiting for? Do you have some time now to quietly listen for the voice of God?