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“And early in the morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place, and was praying there.”

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The photo above was taken this morning off our balcony here at Tenaya Lodge, just a few miles outside of Yosemite National Park. It’s quiet here. The atmosphere invites solitude, rest and reflection, dimensions of living that can be hard to come by.

Being here reminds me of a trip Linda and I were on several years ago that included part of a day along the Sea of Galilee. It looks much as it did when Jesus and His disciples lived along its quiet shores. And it is not hard to understand why the Lord made that remote, tranquil place His home, His resting point.

The life of faith is lived in a world of conflict, tension and struggle – much of which militates against the faith itself. Our Lord knew that battle and those who belong to Him know it too. So, at regular intervals, Jesus withdrew to places of solitude where prayer and rest were His only work.

Disconnecting from daily life does not require a long trip to a remote place. We can all find space and quiet places that are near at hand. A few moments with the Scriptures, in quiet contemplation, can center us again in God’s promises, clear the clutter from our distracted lives, and refresh us in that peace that world neither knows nor can give.

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“May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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