Christ Jesus, in His humanity, felt the need of complete solitude—to be entirely by Himself, alone with Himself. Each of us knows how draining constant interchange with others can be and how it exhausts our energy. As part of humankind, Jesus knew this and felt the need to be by Himself in order to regain His strength. Solitude was also important to Him in order to fully realize His high calling, His human weakness, and His total dependence on His Father.

As a child of God, how much more do we need times of complete solitude—times to deal with the spiritual realities of life and to be alone with God the Father. If there was ever anyone who could dispense with special times of solitude and fellowship, it was our Lord. Yet even He could not maintain His full strength and power for His work and His fellowship with the Father without His quiet time. God desires that every servant of His would understand and perform this blessed practice, that His church would know how to train its children to recognize this high and holy privilege, and that every believer would realize the importance of making time for God alone.

Oh, the thought of having God all alone to myself and knowing that God has me all alone to Himself! ANDREW MURRAY

Lamartine, the first of the French Romantic poets and a writer of the nineteenth century, in one of his books wrote of how his mother had a secluded spot in the garden where she spent the same hour of each day. He related that nobody ever dreamed of intruding upon her for even a moment of that hour. It was the holy garden of the Lord to her.

Pity those people who have no such Beulah land! (Isaiah 62:4.) Jesus said, “Go into your room, close the door and pray” (Matthew 6:6), for it is in quiet solitude that we catch the deep and mysterious truths that flow from the soul of the things God allows to enter our lives.

My soul, practice being alone with Christ! The Scripture says, “When he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything” (Mark 4:34). Do not wonder about the truth of this verse, for it can be true of your life as well. If you desire to have understanding, then dismiss the crowd, just as Jesus did. (Matthew 14:22.) Let them “go away one at a time . . . until only Jesus [is] left” (John 8:9) with you. Have you ever pictured yourself as the last remaining person on earth, or the only person left in the entire universe?

If you were the only person remaining in the universe, your every thought would be, “God and I . . . ! God and I . . . !” And yet He is already as close to you as that. He is as near as if no heart but His and yours ever beat throughout the boundlessness of space.

O my soul, practice that solitude! Practice dismissing the crowd! Practice the stillness of your heart! Practice the majestic song “God and I! God and I!” Let no one come between you and your wrestling angel! You will receive conviction yet pardon, when you meet Jesus alone! GEORGE MATHESON

One of the blessings of the old-time Sabbath day was the calmness, restfulness, and holy peace that came from having a time of quiet solitude away from the world.

There is a special strength that is born in solitude.

Crows travel in flocks, and wolves in packs, but the lion and the eagle are usually found alone.

Strength is found not in busyness and noise but in quietness.

For a lake to reflect the heavens on its surface, it must be calm.

Our Lord loved the people who flocked to Him, but there are numerous accounts in the Scriptures of His going away from them for a brief period of time.

On occasion He would withdraw from the crowd and quite often would spend His evenings alone in the hills.

Most of His ministry was performed in the towns and cities by the seashore, but He loved the hills more and at nightfall would frequently seclude Himself in their peaceful heights.

The one thing we need today more than anything else is to spend time alone with our Lord, sitting at His feet in the sacred privacy of His blessed presence.

Oh, how we need to reclaim the lost art of meditation!

Oh, how we need “the secret place” (Psalm 91:1 KJV) as part of our lifestyle!

Oh, how we need the power that comes from waiting upon God!

It is good to live in the valley sweet, Where the work of the world is done, Where the reapers sing in the fields of wheat, And work till the setting of the sun.

But beyond the meadows, the hills I see Where the noises of traffic cease, And I follow a Voice who calls out to me From the hilltop regions of peace.

Yes, to live is sweet in the valley fair, And work till the setting of the sun; But my spirit yearns for the hilltop’s air When the day and its work are done.

For a Presence breathes o’er the silent hills, And its sweetness is living yet; The same deep calm all the hillside fills, As breathed over Olivet.

Every life that desires to be strong must have its “Most Holy Place” (Exodus 26:33) into which only God enters.