Luke 5:15-16 - Bathroom Devotions & Chocolate Chip Waffles
"the news about [Jesus] was spreading even farther, and great multitudes were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But He Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray." Luke 5:15–16 (NASB)
Jean Smith was my pastor's wife when I was a kid in the Chicago suburbs. She was a vivacious, lively mother of three girls and had an unmistakable laugh. Other times she could be quite serious. Her husband took a call to another church in Duluth, Minnesota and we vacationed there a couple times to spend time with them.
Jean did two things that impacted me. One was a dessert she served: Chocolate chip waffles topped with ice cream. To this day, I usually add chocolate chips to my waffles, even for breakfast.
The Smiths had an unfinished basement. One corner was walled off with paneling to surround a toilet. I don't recall if there was even a sink. It was just an extra toilet in a closet with a rough, concrete floor. Honestly, it creeped me out, despite white paint on the paneling. I found out later that that is where Jean Smith had her daily devotions. Sitting in that creepy little water closet, she would read her Bible and pray. There, she had solitude. Uninterrupted solitude. It was family taboo to bother her when she was in seclusion.
Why is solitude so important? Why did Jesus Himself hide away in the wilderness, sometimes before dawn, sometimes late at night? The time and location weren't important, but the solitude was. Even when sick people needed to be healed, He took time to be alone, with nothing to distract from communing with His Father in heaven.
Father, give us the discipline to find time and place alone from work, alone from patients, alone even from family and friends... just to spend time talking to You and hearing you talk to us. In your Son's name, Amen.
Jean Smith was my pastor's wife when I was a kid in the Chicago suburbs. She was a vivacious, lively mother of three girls and had an unmistakable laugh. Other times she could be quite serious. Her husband took a call to another church in Duluth, Minnesota and we vacationed there a couple times to spend time with them.
Jean did two things that impacted me. One was a dessert she served: Chocolate chip waffles topped with ice cream. To this day, I usually add chocolate chips to my waffles, even for breakfast.
The Smiths had an unfinished basement. One corner was walled off with paneling to surround a toilet. I don't recall if there was even a sink. It was just an extra toilet in a closet with a rough, concrete floor. Honestly, it creeped me out, despite white paint on the paneling. I found out later that that is where Jean Smith had her daily devotions. Sitting in that creepy little water closet, she would read her Bible and pray. There, she had solitude. Uninterrupted solitude. It was family taboo to bother her when she was in seclusion.
Why is solitude so important? Why did Jesus Himself hide away in the wilderness, sometimes before dawn, sometimes late at night? The time and location weren't important, but the solitude was. Even when sick people needed to be healed, He took time to be alone, with nothing to distract from communing with His Father in heaven.
Father, give us the discipline to find time and place alone from work, alone from patients, alone even from family and friends... just to spend time talking to You and hearing you talk to us. In your Son's name, Amen.
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