Experiencing God - God's Will, Not Mine 76

"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."
Gospel of Mark

Let's imagine for a moment that you have experienced a special call, a call to serve God in a particular way, say in a healing ministry.  As a personal response to Grace, you set out to put a plan in place for this ministry, working diligently with several helpers to make it a huge success. 

All the people you expected to come did come.  The healing service went just as you had hoped.  Many who came with illnesses, handicaps and various other problems were healed, and many others converted to the faith.   People were astounded by the power of Grace that was evident throughout the course of the service. 

Would you be inclined to repeat the process?  Would you be inclined to think: Wow, this is surely the way God is calling me to serve in ministry.  If I keep this up, incredible change will take place?  Do we not often get emotionally attached to our own successes?

Jesus had such a day and evening.  We read in the Gospel of Mark that Jesus healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law.  She was able to get up and wait on the disciples.  Then all those in the neighborhood, particularly those suffering from various diseases and handicaps came to Him and were healed.  But after this was all over, early the next morning, Jesus left that house and made His way to a lonely place to pray. 

This reminds me of the Gospel reading from Matthew when Jesus was answering the question about prayer. He said:  "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you". 

In the Gospels, it is often written that Jesus frequently moved away from the crowds to a quiet place in order to pray.  In this quiet place, He was able to come into God's presence, and listen to the movements of the Spirit in His own heart. 

For us as well, in order to discern the direction that God is calling us, we must find that place away from the crowds in order to commune with the Spirit of truth that dwells within.  Jesus always returned to that quiet place, and His future direction always sprung from those times of quiet listening when He was alone in His Father's presence.

During His early morning time of prayer, the crowds finally did catch up with Jesus, and still excited about the events of the previous evening, wanted more of the same.  Why ruin a good thing.  But Jesus' mission was not to repeat the successes of a previous evening, but to follow the will of the Father.