All of us need some personal time occasionally, and by that I mean time to spend alone with God. We cannot have that when the rush of the world is whirling about around us. We have to get away. Not necessarily far away, mind you. But away from everything and everyone else. I was reminded of this anew earlier today when I read once more the story of the patriarch Isaac. Genesis 24:63 says, “And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, camels were coming.” On one of those camels was the answer to his prayers. Her name was Rebekah and shortly afterward she was to become his wife, a friend and companion for life. The time he spent that evening alone with God in meditation and prayer had been well spent. The Lord rewarded his faith in a very special way. She brought him comfort and joy at a time when he desperately needed both of these things.

Jesus frequently sought out such times to be alone with his Heavenly Father. The Master often looked for lonely, solitary places to communicate with God. Luke informs us that Jesus took Peter, John, and James, and went up into a certain mountain in order to pray (Luke 9:28). In that lonely place Jesus’ appearance was transformed as he was engaged in prayer (Luke 9:29). Only those three who accompanied him up onto that secluded mountain resort would later be able to tell the story of the Lord’s Transfiguration and the appearance with him of Moses and Elijah. This was an important moment for all of them, but it was not an isolated event in at least one sense. Luke offers the observation that Jesus frequently sought out such occasions as this where he could be alone with God in a solitary place, and where he could meditate and pray (Luke 5:16).

Of course, there also in the Bible many other instances of this practice in the lives of a host of other of the great men and women of faith recorded in this book. What is there about quiet, solitary places that makes them so perfect for this special aspect of the spiritual life? Two things in particular are considerations in this regard. First, there is the fact that when we are away from others, and especially the crowds of people who live in cities and towns, public places and gatherings of all sorts, and are in the presence of God for the purpose of talking with him and refreshing our spirits in his company alone; in such a place and at such a time, there is no distraction that might take our attention away from him and his fellowship. We have no need to please others with our words or thoughts, we can simply tell God in the simplest of terms and ideas about the deepest concerns of our hearts and the needs of our souls. Only God is hearing us there, so what others might think matters not in the least.

There is a second consideration as well, however. In Romans 8:26 Paul addresses the issue of human incapacity to find just the right words and thoughts with which to communicate with God. He says there that the Spirit makes intercession for us with unutterable “groanings.”  The idea is that there are times when we do not know what we need, or indeed how to ask for what may be needed. Sometimes we cannot come up with just the right words with which to make a request or sue for help. Paul tells us that we ought never concern ourselves overly with such things. If you are a parent, remember how you treated your little ones when they came to you with a bruise on their knee or a little “oopsie” on their elbow? You never once brushed them aside and told them to “get tough.” You drew them into your arms and gave them the assurance and comfort they needed at that moment, and soon they were back at play, knowing that Mommy and Daddy were there for them when they needed them. You enjoyed their need for you and the fact that they came first to you rather than to someone else. Do you think that God the Father loves you any less than you love your own little ones? Do you not understand that, in like fashion, he takes great pleasure in your need for him and dependency upon him?

Just make time for solitary prayer and the rest will take care of itself. We know that we cannot ever impress God with our intellect or our superior communicative skills. But that does not matter in this instance. For, he is our Father, is deeply concerned for us, and about us, and he wants to hear from us every bit of news that we would share with him. He cares not at all about our stumbling tongues or our limited vocabulary. He is listening to his child. That is all that matters. He wants to know about every one of our troubles and our struggles. But, and this is especially important, he also wants to know how he can be of help to us. The treasury of heaven is his to share with us, if we will only open up to him and share our heart’s desires. Some things we can only ask him secretly, privately, “just between the two of us,” so to speak.

And the beauty of it is this: We can share with him in the seclusion of a quiet, solitary place, all such intimately personal and important matters, without a single solitary thought for what others might think or how they might consider us “too needy” or “whiny” in what we ask or how we ask it. We know that our Father loves us and cares about us, and that all of those other things that would concern us if we were in the presence even of our family or our dearest friends are of no import at all to him. For that moment that we have made alone with him, his eyes are fixed in rapt attention, solely upon us, our needs and desires. So, make time away from others, out of the public eye, alone with your Father in heaven. If your own children have not called you lately, or visited with you, perhaps you have some idea how gladly he would entertain a few moments alone with you, just the two of you!