Solitude

John 6:15

Jesus in his wisdom went away from the crowd, and had time in solitude. What is solitude, and what happens in solitude? Those of us wanting to be like Jesus want to know about solitude. Solitude is a place. A place where personal awareness may be captured. A place where the experience of God may be personal. A place of communion. Feasting with the Holy in a place called solitude. For Jesus, according to John 6:15 there was a time of departure unto a mountain to be away from the crowd. He drifted away from the doing of things. Having met the physiological needs of people, Jesus sought to be in solitude, alone in holiness. How do I know he was in holiness, because holiness was in him. There is no place of unholiness for the Holy, when the Holy is in solitude.

Where do you go, when you desire holiness? The Word in John 6 reminds us that we are to follow Jesus for the right reasons. The reasons being spiritual more than physiological. Sure the Lord is able to provide for our needs of shelter, food, and clothing. We are taught that as the eye of God is on the sparrow, the Lord watches over us. Jesus lifts up unto us as a greater purpose for being in His entourage, which is feasting on the spiritual manna. He institutes a call to feed on him, and drink of his blood. The institution of the Eucharist in John 6 brings to our full awareness the responsibility of abiding in Christ and having Christ abide in us.

The Holy Table or holy rail or altar is a place of solitude. Partaking of the Holy Eucharist around the holy table is a place of communion. A place where God may be encountered or experienced in a way that leads to forgiveness and reconciliation. A spiritual awe comes through when you lay your burdens at the rail of communion, and pick up your food of reconciliation. It is there in holiness that you are fed that you may feed again. You are not required to be the preparer or the primary source of giving in solitude. In solitude you are cared for, so that you may come out of solitude and give care to the people of God.

Thus, solitude as personal as it is with God can never be rationale for solitary Christianity. No, no, no it is not a personal religion with no need for fellowship or discipleship. It is much more than a trip as a lone spiritual ranger or non-participant church pew warmer. Solitude is the place of fueling. It is the spiritual station that is as important to soul as the gasoline station is to an automobile. In solitude you are filled up not to stay at the station or hold on to the fuel. You are to come out of solitude filled and rekindled so that you may keep your charge to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do you feel the need for rekindling? Do not go on vacation from God. God never vacations from you. Rather come into solitude, so you may be loved by God, in order to spread the love of God unto others. Any time you are feeling the need for more loving, journey back into solitude to be refueled, in order to go back out of solitude and love every body.

What happens in solitude may be a personal experience, but it is an experience where you come out sharing a personal witness of a personal encounter, which may change from self serving personals into life giving spirituals for all concerned. It inspires the love of every person, because in solitude your heart is strangely warmed that you may strangely love even the stranger among and strangest of the people of God. People come from every walk of life. They crowd into the city seemingly never to sleep. They are all around at all times, day and night. The challenge is to find solitude, and come out introducing God to the multitude.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, meet us in solitude, so that we may be strengthened to reach the multitude. Amen.