Alone With God

Luke 4:1 -  Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness...

I have been feeling quite alone! I know I'm not. Physically I have family and friends, acquaintances. But since my last post I've been in a contemplative mood.

I'm still wondering about (and yet not) my leaving one church for another. All this contemplation, "aloneness," I know is part of God's plan and it's been brought to my mind on numerous occasions. It's His way.

I've been thinking over the past week or more about all the times it is mentioned in His Word about 4o days, 40 nights, 40 years. The number 40 is significant. I tried writing about this before but I guess the time wasn't right. I needed more contemplation! This morning seemed right.

The number 40 symbolizes a time of testing and growth and strengthening, even trusting. I'm not saying I'm specifically in a season of 40 whatever, but it's the idea that it can happen.

There are numerous accounts of 40 days or 40 years in the lives of God's people. Noah built his ark and it rained 40 days and 40 nights. It was a time for cleansing the earth. Moses spent his first 40 years as an Egyptian prince of privilege until he had to flee for another 40 years. He became a shepherd in the desert wilderness of Midian for the next 40 years. It was a time of preparation...and after that God chose him to lead His people Israel in another wilderness (of their own choosing) for 40 more years. Moses' 40 years here and there were times of growth and knowledge, strengthening and more knowledge, then leading, obedience and trust.

Moses was also on the mountain alone with God 40 days and 40 nights. Alone with God. That time spent alone he heard God speak, he listened and obeyed and came down from that mountain face aglow from being in His presence, commandments in hand. He spent time in His presence.

Jesus was sent into the wilderness for 40 days and nights after He was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a time of testing, a time of making sound choices. Why Jesus? Wasn't He God? He was, however, in human form at this time, subject to temptations, as we all are, on earth. He may have been alone with satan but rest assured, His Father was there...and He listened.

I'm not sure that I am in a season of 40 something, like I said above, but it sure causes me to contemplate all the more. I ordered a book, The Oswald Chambers Daily Devotional Bible. Yesterday I counted how many days into the year I was and read that particular day's subject matter: Alone With God. Coincidence? Not in God's world.

Things observed that one day: when He gets us alone, He speaks. He shows us things we need to see about ourselves. But only when we are alone with Him. There will be times in the wilderness, for our own good. There are also different soils to which His Word falls...let's be certain our hearts have the right condition. Proverbs 10:8 - The wise in heart will receive commands but a prating fool will fail. There is an enormous power in little things to distract our attention from God. - Highest Good, Oswald Chambers. And, oh, how my last blog speaks to the soil!

He draws us closer to Himself in our alone times. That I need to learn, go through or trust Him for something, is all I need to understand at this time. It is for good, to glorify God...somehow. It's that something we need to entrust the Lord with.

Lord, I am entrusting You with that "something". I know enough about You to know that You do bring good out of evil, confusion out of chaos, and You never leave nor forsake those who follow after You. You steer us in directions we sometimes don't understand, but that's part of the testing to see how obedient we are. Lord, let me continue in obedience. Let me continue to grow in trust...especially in the days when I'm not sure where I'm going...because You do! Thank You for calling me as Your own and caring enough to steer me this way or that, for changing my course.

And then this scripture shows up in my email this morning after this is written: Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God,  He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. How powerful is His Word to those who take the time to heed it! How encouraging...and how convicting. All because He loves us.

Romans 8:28-30 - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to    be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.