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03/08/2022 06:00 - 04/08/2022 05:00

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" - Luke 5:16 (NIV). 

Basketball has an interesting aspect called time out! If a coach notices that his team is losing then he can call for time out. This normally allows the team to regroup and get back to work more focused, past errors put aside. In soccer it comes as half time, a moment for the coach to size up the game and if he is loosing re strategize. Teams have been known to be loosing only to rediscover their mojo through half time, and turn the game around.

The idea of time out is actually not new and has been a long favoured practice of many productive people. If you look at the life of Jesus he led an intesily busy and packed life. He was always on the move and sarrounded by people eager to be fed. When he was told his friend Lazarus had died, he delayed hastening back as he was caught up with work (John 11:6).

When your life is about giving and doing you certainly need time out. This is important to allow your batteries to re charge. For Jesus the best time for this happened to be in the very early morning hours. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35). This is when he could find space.

But why was this necessary! Well, time out could help him process what had just happened. When he heard the prophet John had just been murdered by Herod, "he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place" (Mathew 14:13). This, allowed him to grieve!

Just like the great teams or better still, like Lord Jesus, you too need "time out"! This is a special moment when you could all be by yourself allowing you to recollect, process, reenergize, and forge ahead. It is not about being too busy; it is actually the very reason you need it. For Jesus it was a moment to talk and hear from God, spend time in prayer- as should be your case. You would profit immeasurably!

Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I take time out to be with you alone, to hear from you and plan ahead how to serve and be pleasing to you, this I pray in Jesus's name.

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