Day 9: The power of alone
Luke 5: 12 In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.”
13 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 14 Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
15 But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
I love this story… because Jesus is willing to touch the untouchable and heal the unhealable! But what I really want us to think about today, is Jesus had a rhythm of getting alone with God the Father.
As we continue learning how Jesus prayed, one pattern appears again and again throughout the Gospels: Jesus intentionally withdrew to be alone with the Father. Crowds followed Him everywhere. People constantly needed healing. The disciples required teaching and guidance. Yet in the middle of all the demands, Jesus regularly stepped away from the noise to pray.
Luke tells us that Jesus “often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” This wasn’t an occasional moment; it was a rhythm in His life. Why? Because intimacy with God requires intentional space. Public prayer has its place, but the deepest relationship with God is formed in the quiet moments when no one else is around. In those private places, we are not performing for others, we are simply children speaking with our Father.
Solitude removes distractions so our hearts can focus fully on Him. It is in those quiet places that we listen more carefully, confess more honestly, and worship more freely. When Jesus walked into public ministry with power and authority, it was because He had already spent time alone with the Father.
The same is true for us. If we want a powerful public faith, we must cultivate a private prayer life. During this season of prayer and fasting, make time to step away from the noise; away from phones, schedules, and distractions, and meet with God. In the quiet place, intimacy grows, and our hearts become aligned with Him.
Today, Ask God to help you develop a consistent private prayer life and remove the distractions that compete for your attention.
Prayer Focus
Father,
Thank You for inviting me into personal fellowship with You. Help me create space to meet with You regularly. Quiet the distractions in my life that pull my attention away from You. Teach me to value the private place of prayer where I can hear Your voice and experience Your presence. As I spend time alone with You, deepen my intimacy with You and shape my heart to reflect Your will.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.