Victorious Retreat

Long unbroken periods of frenetic activity fatigue not only the body, but the soul. Jesus, the Son of God stole away from the rush and crush of ministry to pray and recover his strength. Though fully God, Jesus in regards to his humanity needed to spend time in the Father’s presence and rest. Even when his disciples would have argued that ministry demanded that he engage, Jesus resisted the pull to live by the expectations of the masses.
 
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
 
The gospels show Jesus instilling this pattern in his followers; requiring that they also take strategic retreats from ministry (Mark 6:31-32). He commended those who stepped away from the task driven life to spend time in his presence (Luke 10:38-42). If this is the witness of Jesus’ life, why do we try to do it on our own?
 
I am slowly learning the discipline of saying … “I am too busy not to pray about this.” I need to grow in the practice of strategic retreat. Times of quietness and concentration on God’s Word and prayer are indispensable for a life lived in God’s power.
 
That said, one awesome aspect of prayer is that it allows you to retreat anywhere and at any time. Amid a busy schedule, before you open your mouth in a difficult situation, you can step next door into the throne room of God Almighty and
receive mercy and find grace to help in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16). No one notices your absence, but stepping momentarily into God’s presence can bring his presence back into the situation. There are no spiritual victories apart from the retreat into prayer.
 
 

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