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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Write an INSPIRATIONAL or DEVOTIONAL piece (04/26/07)
We cannot draw close to God in the noise of this world. If we want to be in the presence of God we must find Him away from televisions, radios, cell phones, I-pods, computers, children and the crowds of this world. God must be found in the silent places. Satan has made it almost impossible for us to find a place of solitude. A quiet place where we can spend time with Christ away from the distractions of this life.

Jesus began His ministry with forty days away from all the distractions of the world. He went into the quietness of the wilderness. There among the solitude of nature He was left alone to communicate with His Father in heaven. Matthew 4:2. Many of us have lost or ignored the Lords teaching on solitude. We can’t seem to find the time to get away into the quiet places and be alone with God. We struggle with our temptations and complain about not feeling the presence of God in our lives. We will never defeat our inner struggles without Christ. We will never get close to Christ without shutting out the noise of this world and retreating to a quiet place to be alone with Him.

Our Christian life is a battle that depends on our relationship with Christ. We cannot develop a relationship without spending many hours alone with the person we are trying to draw close to. When we first met our future husband or wife we would spend many hours alone in each other’s company because we wanted nothing to interfere or come between the time we spent together. The more time we spent with the person the closer we drew to them. We couldn’t wait to get alone with the one we loved. Spend time with someone and love grows, ignore them and love fades. The same human love principle is at work in our relationship with Christ.

We must sacrifice the time pressures and distractions of life so that we can spend time alone in the presence of God. We all want a closer relationship with God but the strength of our relationship will be found in the solitude of our time spent with God. When it comes to finding God the common theme that runs throughout the Bible is the word alone. God appeared to Elijah alone in the cave, He appeared to Moses alone in the wilderness, He appeared to Jacob alone in a dream. Time after time Jesus left the crowds and disciples to get alone and pray to His father.

There is a big difference between going to church to find God and going into solitude so God can reveal Himself to us. When knowing God becomes more important than any other worldly pleasure we will find the time to retreat into solitude and be alone with God. We either give Satan and this world our time or we give it to Jesus.

If we desire Christ and His ways more than anything else in this world lets turn the noise of the world off and get used to being alone with God. Satan feeds on whatever is not given to Christ. The very quality of our live is based on our relationship with Christ. “The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him.” Habakkuk 2:20.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
05/04/07
Oh, so true! I'm at a point in my life where I desperately need that solitude...

This piece could be tightened up considerably; there are several places where you repeat previous concepts. Once you eliminate redundancies, then you can freshen it up a bit by adding a personal example or anecdote.

I have a hymn in my mind now--"Blessed Quietness"--do you know it? It's lovely, and exactly in tune with what you wrote here. Thanks.
Myrna Noyes
05/06/07
Very true message here! I once attended a weeklong retreat called "Silence, Solitude, and Sabbath," which was on this very topic. Solitude can be so refreshing and revealing. Once we experience it, we will want to return to it over and over! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! :)
Martha Helton
05/08/07
Good message, but I agree with Jan. A little too much redundancy and a personal example would fit nicely as an illustration.