Read Luke 1:80
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Meditate
Each year, we attend our fall student conference at a campground. It is pretty isolated with great views of sunrises and sunsets, places to walk and be alone, a lake to sit beside and reflect. It is not unusual to see students taking advantage of the solitude to journal and pray.
The campground is in an area with poor cell phone service. It is also not unusual to see students walking around, cell phones held high, trying to find a place to get a signal.
That is the problem with the wilderness. It is a great place for solitude, but it is not so great a place for a lot of the other things which fill our daily lives. This solitude is what makes it so important.
John grew up in the wilderness. It was the place that nurtured him, shaped him, formed him. He spent time with his thoughts and his God-promises. He wrestled with and settled the nature of his calling. He knew what it meant to be both alone and present, so when the day of the fulfilling of his calling came, he was ready.
It has been said that there are two great days in a person’s life—the day we are born and the day we discover why. The “why” is found in our wilderness times. No amenities to distract us, no memes to entertain us, no frivolities to fill idle time.
Simply solitude and time with God.
Grow. Become strong in the spirit. Spend time in the wilderness.
Pray
“Father, there are dangerous prayers, and this is one of them: take me into the wilderness. Teach me to be with you. Remove those things that distract us from being prepared to fulfill the plans and purposes you have for us. Amen.”
Contemplate
- Set aside time during the Christmas season to be alone. It may mean getting up a little earlier or driving out to a park. No music, no book. Just spend some quiet time with God.
- Watch “Start with Why,” A Ted Talk by Simon Sinek. What is your “Why”? What gets you out of the bed and inspires you for the day? During your alone time, come up with a way to express why you are here in one sentence.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
