The Solitary Christ
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:21-39
Meditation
Jesus is a man who fits forty-eight hours worth of work into a twenty-four hour day. He teaches. He casts out demons. He heals the sick. He’s busy doing his Father’s business.
But Jesus knows that, when you work with people, there’s always more to do. There’s always one more lesson that could be taught, one more problem that should be solved, and one more person who would like to be healed.
“That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.”
He’s been busy doing but now it’s time for him to spend some moments being—
being alone,
being quiet,
being in the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms,
being with his Father.
He gets up very early in the morning, while it’s still dark. He leaves the house and goes off to a solitary place. He practices the spiritual discipline of “leaving”.
He leaves the crowds. He leaves the activity. He leaves the pace of his world and enters the place of solitude. But this “leaving” isn’t an escape.
It’s an embrace.
He’s not running away from his ministry. He’s not running away from responsibilities. He’s running to his Father. He’s leaving the many to be with the One. He wants to hear one voice. He longs to know only one heart. His desire is to be one with the Father and so he looks for a solitary place.
When he finds that solitary place, he begins to pray. In the solitude, few words are spoken but much is said. He is refreshed by the silence. This place is quiet. It’s intimate. It’s special. It’s one of the few times and rare places where he can just be and not have to do.
Here he can be still and know his Father. Here his Father can know him.
But the solitude doesn’t last.
“Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ ”
As the sun rises, Simon notices that Jesus isn’t in the house. He’s not outside with Simon’s mother-in-law. He’s not with the crowds who had gathered at the door the night before. He’s not by the seashore, either. No one’s seen him since last night. And so, Simon and his companions go looking for Jesus.
They walk the shore. They climb the hills. They shout his name. Finally, they find him, sitting alone, face toward the morning sun. They invade the solitude and break the silence by exclaiming,
“Everyone is looking for you!”
Hanging over Simon’s words are the weight of the world’s expectations.
“What are you doing out here? By yourself? Doing nothing? There’s work to be done! The people need you!”
It’s time to leave the solitary place. Jesus simply says,
“ ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.”
Without delay, disappointment, or resentment, Jesus gets up, walks away from the secret place and walks toward the public place. He abandons the spiritual discipline of “leaving” and embraces the spiritual discipline of “returning.”
He doesn’t fight the call back to the busyness and the doing of his ministry. Rather, he delights in it. He returns to the people, the places, and the problems. He returns to the duties, demands, and expectations. He returns because he’s been refreshed.
In the intimate moments, his Father had whispered his favor. He had anointed him with divine determination, placed his hand of blessing upon him, and given him peace.
In the solitude, his Father had reminded him of his purpose.
“My Son, you must complete this journey to the cross.”
“You must continue to teach, preach, and heal.”
“You must finish the work that I have given you.”
In the solitude, immersed in prayer, feasting on the Scripture, Jesus had heard his Father’s voice. Having heard his voice, he’s ready to leave. But as he leaves, the Father also gives him an invitation to return …
“Be still, and know that I am God”. (Psalm 46:10)
Prayer
Father,
One morning, while it was still dark out, your Son got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.
In that early hour, he didn’t sneak away from the house in order to escape the crowds; he stole away in order to be with you. He didn’t run away from the sick, the dying, and the demon possessed; he ran towards you. He left the house so that he might return renewed, refreshed, and rededicated to your purpose for his life.
On this day, may I—like the Solitary Christ—practice the spiritual discipline of “leaving”.
During this day, may I get up and leave, if only for a few moments, the demands, responsibilities, business, and busyness of my life and go to a solitary place … a place of silence, of intimacy, of time spent solely with you and your Word.
After being with you, may I practice the spiritual discipline of “returning”. May I return with a divine determination to begin, continue, or finish the work you have given me.
It’s in the Solitary Christ’s name that I pray. Amen
Reflection
In what way are you practicing the spiritual discipline of “leaving”? How are you “getting up, leaving the house, and finding a solitary place”?
How are you practicing the spiritual discipline of “returning”?
How does your time alone with the Solitary Christ impact your world?
What is the divine must that the Father reminds you of in the time of solitude?
All Scripture references in the meditation are marked by italics and are taken from the Gospel reading for the day (Mark1:21-39). Those verses quoted outside of the chosen reading for the day are noted in parenthesis. All Scripture quoted on this site is taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.