Challenge Central: a CBC devotional
By: Pastor Jeremy Heikkinen
When and where do you think of when you hear the phrase, “desolate place”?
In our “Prayer” Growth Group, that meets every Wednesday at lunch (YES, you are invited! Bring your lunch!), we are studying “prayer” in the New Testament in chronological order. Our study has begun by tracking the prayer practices of Jesus. Did I mention you were invited (12-1 pm)? Okay, enough with the invitation. Yesterday, we looked at three events in Jesus’ life when he sought a desolate place to pray:
After a busy ministry day
Luke 4:42: “And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them…”-ESV.
Mark 1:35 “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”- ESV
During a rise in popularity and need
Luke 5:15-16 “But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” – ESV
After a Spiritual High
Mark 6:30-31 “The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.”- ESV
What did you recognize in each passage? Right, going to a “desolate place” for the purpose of prayer. Notice, Jesus does not say the purpose of going to a desolate place is to read, study, or catch up on the “latest” on-line. Also, there is not reference to how long. As I was studying these passages and the term “desolate”, I came across this definition,
“For Jesus the ‘place without inhabitants’ is one where nothing separates Him from God and which He therefore seeks when He wants to escape the crowds”– Gerhard Kittel, “Ἔρημος, Ἐρημία, Ἐρημόω, Ἐρήμωσις,” ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 658.
The part that caught my attention was the phrase, “where nothing separates Him from God…”. When and where is that place/time for you? The idea behind a “desolate place” is a place where nothing separates you from God and your conversation with Him. This can be hard to come by! I get that. This is one of the reasons we seek to provide at least 2 minutes of this in our services on Sunday during our Pastoral Prayer. What does it look like in your life? Maybe you are reading this, and you are saying, “Pastor Jeremy, I don’t feel very close to God right now; I don’t think I can do that.” Can I encourage you to draw near to God in whatever season you are in? I believe this starts when our minds are renewed by the Word of God. The fact that you are reading this is a great example of drawing near to God. Another way you can do this is by coming to hear the Word of God taught this weekend at the ABC (Anniversary Bible Conference). I encourage you to set time aside to come and grow with us as a church family. Here are the times:
Saturday: 9am-12pm
- 9am-10am opening session with George King preaching on “The Holy Spirit: Our Helper”
- 10am-10:50am Breakout sessions (choose one of the three options)
- 11am-11:50am Breakout sessions (choose one of the three options)
Sunday: 10:30am-12pm, 4pm-7pm
- 10:30am-12pm Regular morning service with George King preaching about “The Holy Spirit: Our Helper”
- 4pm-6pm Pig roast
- 6pm-7pm Sing, share, prayer (come prepared to share what God has been doing in your life and pray for the ministry of Central)
