Le Père aime le Fils. Jean 3. 35

En lui, toute la plénitude s’est plu à habiter. Colossiens 1. 19

Quelle offrande te faire, quel don, quel sacrifice,
Notre Dieu, notre Père ? Tout t’appartient déjà…
Tu veux une louange qui soit digne de toi,
La louange de coeurs exaltant Jésus Christ.

Oui, Jésus est le seul qui n’ait pas de défaut.
Parmi tous les humains, Jésus est le plus beau.
Sur la terre pourtant, son visage défait,
Sans attrait, sans éclat, il était ignoré.

Si proche de toi, ô Père, dans ton intimité,
Partageant tes actions et toutes tes pensées.
Si proche de nous aussi, mais tellement différent,
Un étranger du ciel, au coeur compatissant.

Tu l’as aimé, ô Dieu, tu habitais en lui.
Il parlait de ta part, et disait ton amour,
Ta grâce et ta bonté, mais montrait par sa vie
Ton horreur du péché, que tu es saint, toujours.

Tu l’as aimé, ô Dieu, quand il laisse sa vie.
Portant tous nos péchés, abandonné par toi,
Soumis et confiant, il reste sur la croix,
Endure le châtiment, toujours te glorifie.

En contemplant ton Fils, ton coeur est plein de joie.
Et notre coeur aussi, car ton amour pour lui
A débordé pour nous : par son oeuvre à la croix,
Tu nous vois comme lui. Sois à jamais béni !

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Spending Time with God

Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

Thank You for the reminder, Father, of my need for time spent with You. I need Your grace and strength to renew my often-weary soul.

Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 5:12–16

A River Runs Through It is Norman Maclean’s masterful story of two boys growing up in western Montana with their father, a Presbyterian minister. On Sunday mornings, Norman and his brother, Paul, went to church where they heard their father preach. Once Sunday evening rolled around, there was another service and their father would preach again. But between those two services, they were free to walk the hills and streams with him “while he unwound between services.” It was an intentional withdrawing on their father’s part to “restore his soul and be filled again to overflowing for the evening sermon.”

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is seen teaching multitudes on hillsides and cities, and healing the sick and diseased who were brought to Him. All this interaction was in line with the Son of Man’s mission “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). But it’s also noted that He “often withdrew to lonely places” (5:16). His time there was spent communing with the Father, being renewed and restored to step back once more into His mission.

In our faithful efforts to serve, it’s good for us to remember that Jesus often withdrew. If this practice was important for Jesus, how much more so for us? May we regularly spend time with our Father, who can fill us again to overflowing.

By:  John Blase

Reflect & Pray
What comes to mind when you think of a “lonely” place? When and where can you withdraw to simply spend time with the Father?
 
To learn more about spending time with God in prayer, visit ChristianUniversity.org/SF120.