Lonely

“And when day came, He departed and went to a lonely place; and the multitudes were searching for Him,”  Luke 4:42

Lonely – You wont’ find this place on any map.  Oh, you can find plenty of lonely places, all right.  Actually, this word is also translated “wilderness” and there was a lot of wilderness in Palestine.  But it’s not the geography that’s important here.  This place is only found on the map of the soul.

The Greek word eremos connects the thought of a geographically desolate area to an Old Testament symbol:  the place of God’s judgment.  Jesus sought the empty places because He constantly renewed His decision to live under the Father’s judgment.  His was God’s man no matter what the cost.  Jesus returns to solitude over and over because the wilderness is that place of conviction and commitment.  It was the place where He could lay His life before the Father. 

When the children of Israel were rescued from the bondage of Egypt, God liberated them from their oppressors but they were not free.  They were still captives to their own sinful perspective on life.  God led them through the wilderness for forty years in order to cleanse them of their old ways.  For forty years they experienced what it was like to live under the judgment of God.  What they discovered is that God is comforting, fair, understanding and forgiving.  They discovered is that God provides, leads, directs and explains.  Everything that they needed was given to them.  But the greatest lesson they had to learn was this:  God is holy.  The wilderness is the place where we are confronted by the holiness of God.  It is both terrifying and joyful.  It is a place that Jesus knew He must visit frequently.

How about you?  Are you seeking the desolate place where you stand in the presence of the holy God?  Are you there confessing your desire to live under His judgment?  Do you look for the desert place in order to renew your commitment to Him?

Most of our Christian “worship” services have little to do with the power of the wilderness.  But without the wilderness, there is no rescue.  The wilderness is the intersection of repentance and grace.  Every soul map needs a lonely place.