Lonely Places

Mark 1:45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

While reading this morning I came to this verse and could not move past it. I noticed how the calling that Jesus had was so clear and precise that he felt the urgency to keep moving...to go and to preach all over the countryside. I also noticed that in verse 41 of this chapter he became indignant when asked if he was willing to heal a man with leprosy. He then reached out and touched the man and that man was made well.

And then as you keep reading, Jesus filled with a passion to preach and the power to heal, you read that because if these miracles he could no longer openly go into any town and he withdrew to the outside...to lonely places.

Most of the folks that I know who are in ministry for Christ can relate to these lonely places. Its not because of any miracles that we have done. I'm not really sure why it is. You minister to hundreds, maybe thousands every week and when the work is over you withdraw to what is a much less chaotic place and often a lonely place.

Fortunately for us, because of Christ's work on the cross, we will never be alone even though we may experience loneliness. Use the quiet times to rekindle the passion and purpose of serving your Savior with all of your heart, soul and mind. Determine to love yourself through the good and bad and to share that love with your neighbor. The Bible says that people came to Jesus wherever he was. Trust that he will bring the right people to you wherever you are today!