Getting Away

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Sunday - 9:15 AM Sunday School, 10:30 AM Worship Service

by: Denise Robinson

05/07/2024

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Where do you go when you need to get away? There was a time in my life when I enjoyed going to the movies, but the truth is that most of the movies being released don't appeal to me (I seem to no longer fit their prime demographic!). I can watch older movies on TV, but that's not really "getting away." There was a time when I enjoyed traveling, but it's infrequent now. I find it more of a hassle than it's worth. I have always found that when life overwhelms me, I can immerse myself in a story that helps me forget, at least for a while, the pressures of everyday life. Books have always been my escape ... especially a good book by a fire or a lake. 
The Gospels recite time after time when Jesus needed escape time as well. Sometimes he had dinner with his closest friends, but more often he went off by himself to "deserted" places. And, most of the time, we are told that he prayed. I don't know about you, but I often find that the busier I am the less I pray - and the more I need to pray. When I'm busy, I find myself "snatching" a quick prayer while sitting at a stoplight or in between one task and the next. My prayers reflect the chaos I feel inside. It's hard to pray for calm - and feel it - when your prayers come from a place of noise and turmoil. 
When facing major events that weigh us down, we need an even bigger way to escape. A book, a movie, or a walk in the woods won't suffice. A thirty-second prayer won't begin to bring us the calm and assurance we seek. Some of us seek friends or family in such times and others seek solitude ... but, either way, it should comfort us to remember that Jesus needed the same.  
Sometimes, we need to escape from our troubles for a while. It's important to remember, though, that our need to escape - for a short while - from our present reality doesn't mean escaping from the presence of Christ. Christ is always present with us, even when we are literally or figuratively, running away. In the happy times and the difficult periods of life, Jesus promises to walk beside us and to encourage us. So, escape to your happy place, your place of solitude, but don’t forget to take Jesus with you. You will find the peace you're seeking much better with him than on your own. What do you think?
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Where do you go when you need to get away? There was a time in my life when I enjoyed going to the movies, but the truth is that most of the movies being released don't appeal to me (I seem to no longer fit their prime demographic!). I can watch older movies on TV, but that's not really "getting away." There was a time when I enjoyed traveling, but it's infrequent now. I find it more of a hassle than it's worth. I have always found that when life overwhelms me, I can immerse myself in a story that helps me forget, at least for a while, the pressures of everyday life. Books have always been my escape ... especially a good book by a fire or a lake. 
The Gospels recite time after time when Jesus needed escape time as well. Sometimes he had dinner with his closest friends, but more often he went off by himself to "deserted" places. And, most of the time, we are told that he prayed. I don't know about you, but I often find that the busier I am the less I pray - and the more I need to pray. When I'm busy, I find myself "snatching" a quick prayer while sitting at a stoplight or in between one task and the next. My prayers reflect the chaos I feel inside. It's hard to pray for calm - and feel it - when your prayers come from a place of noise and turmoil. 
When facing major events that weigh us down, we need an even bigger way to escape. A book, a movie, or a walk in the woods won't suffice. A thirty-second prayer won't begin to bring us the calm and assurance we seek. Some of us seek friends or family in such times and others seek solitude ... but, either way, it should comfort us to remember that Jesus needed the same.  
Sometimes, we need to escape from our troubles for a while. It's important to remember, though, that our need to escape - for a short while - from our present reality doesn't mean escaping from the presence of Christ. Christ is always present with us, even when we are literally or figuratively, running away. In the happy times and the difficult periods of life, Jesus promises to walk beside us and to encourage us. So, escape to your happy place, your place of solitude, but don’t forget to take Jesus with you. You will find the peace you're seeking much better with him than on your own. What do you think?
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