Solitude

It is early on a Tuesday morning. I will be meeting with some men for a men’s Bible study in about thirty minutes. The Lord woke me early this morning and I enjoyed the rare privilege of some solitude with the Lord. No phone calls. No visitors. No appointments other than the one I kept with the Lord. No distractions. Just the Lord and me. Those times are harder and harder to fight for and to preserve but well worth whatever has to be done and reserve my appointed time of solitude with the Father.

I am reminded of how Jesus often withdrew from the crowds just be alone with God. Maintaining that time with the Father will not happen by accident but rather happen as we are intentional about making that happen. Later on this morning I will be leaving for a ten hour road trip to go and preach back in east Texas. Many people have asked why I am not flying and I did debate on doing that but what finally settled it for me was that by driving I will get about ten hours of complete solitude one way. In all I will get to enjoy another ten hours on the drive back and then I will get to spend two nights in my “prayer cabin” isolated from distractions. I will really enjoy some time with the Lord in that sacred place.

I enjoyed God this morning. Just He and I in the privacy of my office with nobody knowing what took place in that time but He and I. My time in solitude with Him is the highlight of my days. Sometimes I am overwhelmed in His presence and fight back the tears and He reveals Himself and His purposes to me. At other times I am challenged and chastised for wrong attitudes, my doubt and lack of faith, for not living in peace, and for not remaining in Him. He uses His word to assure me of things He wants to do in me and for my family.

It hurt the flesh to roll out of bed early this morning and stumble to the bathroom to begin getting ready. When I finally sat alone in this office with the Creator of the Universe it was worth it a thousand times over. It was worth just sitting before Him and basking in His glorious presence. It was worth driving the dark streets of Seminole and braving the brisk north winds of a cold front that hit me unexpectedly because I did not watch the weather last night.

You see, I determined last night that I was going to meet with the Lord early this morning. I went to bed with a prayer on my lips asking the Lord to get me up early to spend time with Him before Men’s Fraternity. He honored that prayer as He has done multiple times over the course of the last twenty years.

Being alone with God is sweeter to my soul than honey. Enjoying Him in solitude is refreshing and rejuvenates my spirit. I crave solitude with Him so the other voices and the petty noises of this age are silenced so I can give my King my undivided attention and devotion. It is the best part of my day.

I will enjoy my hours of solitude over the next three days. I pray the Lord will meet with me in the cab of my truck as well as in the old rustic two bed room prayer cabin I have made spiritual pilgrimage to over the past fourteen years. We all need a little solitude in our lives. Dear Lord, help us make meeting with you in solitude the highlight of our days and our lives. Please help us to fight for that time and do whatever is necessary to make that happen. May we fight like mighty warriors to guard our times of solitude with you. [Matt 6:6] [Mark 1:35]