Finding Peace in Prayer: Jesus’ Example of Solitude

When we lived in Mundelein, IL, the kids were little, we had a huge storm come through our area. It knocked power out in our town for nearly five days. Unbeknownst to us, a tree fell right on a power line near our house. We sustained no real damage, but we had no power and it was summer. We rented a generator for the refrigerator and Joshua’s cpap. Otherwise, we were quiet. I’ll never forget laying there at night and able to hear quiet. Nothing except cars and trains interrupted the peace. The kids grew quite adept at finding things to do that did not involve electrical. We all just slowed down. As I write this, I become a bit nostalgic. The quiet was good for us all. Removing the distractions, the important came to the surface.

As I consider what Mark said about Jesus doing everything well, the next theme I want to dive into is silence and prayer. In the show, the Chosen (not an advertisement), it almost becomes a bit of a joke how often Jesus withdrew to be alone. At first it was alarming to the disciples, but then, they realized he would always come back, it became a running gag. I like that added subtext. I also like that Jesus did this so often, it became a teaching moment for the rest of us. We are meant to pay attention to this. In Luke alone there are at least ten verses mentioning his practice.

We are not given much information in Luke 4 as the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert for 40 days. We don’t know what the Trinity discussed. We don’t know the prayers Jesus prayed during that time, yet the little item that I have somehow missed until now was the devil was tempting him those forty days as well?!?!? Here:

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He at nothing during those days, when they had ended, He became hungry.” Luke 4:1-2 NASB

I missed that his withdrawing from people to be in the desert was not a protection against the devil. Yet it means so much to me. Makes me think of Hebrews 4:14-16:

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

His withdrawing in the Holy Spirit did not mean he was hidden away from temptation, but it followed him his whole life, just as it does ours. He never gave INTO temptation. Never. Here’s the thing I don’t want to miss, he still withdrew. He still took the time away, fasting and praying. So often we can get waylaid by our intrusive thoughts or plans that interrupt our times of quiet. Jesus kept coming back. And we are meant to do the same. Do not give up meeting in quiet with the Lord! Draw near with confidence to his throne.

The fourth chapter of Luke is a busy one for Jesus. There is the temptation in the desert. His public ministry begins in Nazareth with being thrown out of his hometown. He heals a possessed man. He heals Simon’s mother. He heals those with diseases and more with demons. Right here. Right here, Jesus left and went to a secluded place. The crowds craved his healing and his presence. He knew he had to leave. The quiet of time with his Father in heaven and rest balanced the intensity of his ministry to the world he came to save. We would do well to remember the balance of quiet and busyness.

Every time I open my phone to news, reels, videos, posts I open myself up to intensity and stress. I become a part of people’s stories, even for just a moment, and am affected. In the past two weeks, people I have followed for years on Instagram passed away from their battle with cancer. I’ve never met them in person, yet their stories and posts were a part of my life. It’s a strange dynamic. I watched Amy’s funeral on Tuesday.

Or we read and watch news from around the world. We forget that the news is funded on clicks and likes. We get sound bites. We get short, quick, abrupt fire hosing. We need the quiet too. We need the phone to be put away, tv turned off, the sound of silence is good for our ears. I know that the world was much different back when Jesus walked on it, but he too, chose to turn to silence at times.

I’m sure I’ve shared these verses before, they are some of my favorites:

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name, observing his signs which he was doing. But Jesus, on his part, was not entrusting himself to them, for he knew all men, and because he did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for he himself knew what was in man.” John 2:23-25 NASB

This makes sense, yes? I wonder if that was part of the reason he drew away so often. But why do I come back to these few verses so often? I treasure the love under these sentences. I treasure the time and quiet that it took for John to know this and observe in Jesus. I treasure Jesus knowing where to go, throwing his whole trust in his Father. Interactions with people were guided by this time before and after!

Think on this passage with me.

“During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose 12 of them–he also name them apostles.” Luke 6:12-13 HCSB

He didn’t consult others. He didn’t go to his mom (although moms are excellent resources, love ya mom!). He went to his Father in heaven, all night long he prayed for wisdom and direction. God’s will to be done through the selection of the 12 men who would walk with him for the next three years and shape the course of our faith through their spread of the gospel throughout the world. Think of it. This time in prayer, do you ever wonder if he thought of you? Well, he did. He does.

I’ll end with this. I could probably write a book on just this topic! Yet, I want to recall this to mind and have hope. He not only drew away to have quiet with his Father, he drew quiet and prayer while with his dear friends before his death and did pray for you and I.

20 I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. 21 May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me. 22 I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), Jn 17:20–22.

We are all blessed because Jesus taught us quietly how to quietly draw away.