HH, Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div

“And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” (Matthew 14:23).

The man Christ Jesus felt the need for perfect solitude, Himself alone, entirely by Himself, alone with Himself. We know how much intercourse with men draws us away from ourselves and exhausts our powers. The man Christ Jesus knew this, too, and felt the need of being by Himself again, of gathering all His powers, of realizing fully His high destiny, His human weakness, His entire dependence on the Father.

How much more does the child of God need this, himself alone with spiritual realities, himself alone with God the Father. If ever there were one who could dispense with special seasons for solitude and fellowship, it was our Lord. But He could not do His work or maintain His fellowship in full power, without His quiet time.

Would God that every servant of His understood and practised this blessed art, and that the Church knew how to train its children into some sense of this high and holy privilege, that every believer may and must have his time when he is indeed himself alone with God. Oh, the thought to have God all alone to myself, and to know that God has me all alone to Himself! It is a privilege to find oneself in the presence of Almighty God alone. Enter thou in the closet and shut the door behind you until you wrestle with the Spirit of Truth. Or, go in the wilderness and there remain until you hear from the Almighty Father. This is my beloved son or daughter in whom I am well pleased.

I read this book by Lamertine of a secluded walk in his garden where his mother always spent a certain hour of the day, upon which nobody ever dreamed for a moment of intruding. It was the holy garden of the Lord to her. Poor souls that have no such Beulah land! Seek thy private chamber, Jesus says. It is in solitude that we catch the mystical notes that issue from the soul of things.

A TIME OF MEDITATION

My soul, practise being alone with Christ! It is written that when they were alone He expounded all things to His disciples. Do not wonder at the saying; it is true to thine experience. If thou wouldst understand thyself send the multitude away. Let them go out one by one till thou art left alone with Jesus. . . . Has thou ever pictured thyself the one remaining creature in the earth, the one remaining creature in all the starry worlds? The only one left after pleading with the Holy Spirit?

In such a universe thine every thought would be “God and I! God and I!” And yet He is as near to thee as that, and as near as if in the boundless spaces there throbbed no heart but His and thine.

• Practice that solitude, O my soul! Practice the expulsion of the crowd!
• Practice the stillness of thine own heart!
• Practice the solemn refrain “God and I! God and I!”

Let none interpose between thee and thy wrestling angel! Thou shalt be both condemned and pardoned when thou shalt meet Jesus alone!

This is the time that we need to come before the Lord to seek His attention. Stay in His presence until you receive all that He promised you in His word. Then you can say I have heard but now I see the power of being alone with your Heavenly Father.