CROWDS,NOISE,---SILENCE,SOLITUDE

When you have been in a large crowd of people or when you think of loud places that you have been in what comes to mind? How does it make you feel to be in that sort of situation? Do you like the feeling of excitement of being in a crowd? What about noise? Do you need the TV on continuously (watching it or not); or a radio turned on if the TV isn't available; or a player of sorts plugged in the ear when out walking or waiting? Do you prefer the loudest bands; the noisiest restaurants; the loudest activities etc? Do you suspect that you may have a noise addiction? Now let's talk about quiet places briefly. What comes to mind for you? How do quiet places make you feel? More thoughtful? Peaceful? Or do you find silence too intimidating? I think of quiet places as being on a trail in the mountains or woods; or Ritter library in Vermilion; I rise well before daybreak and enjoy morning quiet in my study room at home; St. Anthony's in Lorain has small chapel on the lake behind their Church that offers solitude and silence that I visit regularly; Agudath B'nai Synagogue, also in Lorain, has an upstairs study room that induces insightful contemplation for me; Elmwood cemetery in Lorain has many old trees in it and I find that I'm able to find a sense of solitary that is quite mindful for me there also. I have also the very good fortune of having an association with the Quakers who reside at Kendal in Oberlin, and silence is a predominate part of their tradition in all their spiritual activities and decisions. So much for all of that.......
........Now let's continue to look again at a portion of Mark 1:29-39.........
32. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33. the whole town gathered at the door, 34and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36. Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37. And when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" 38. Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else-to the nearby villages-so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39. So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Jesus rose a long while before daylight and went out to a place where He would be free from distraction and spend time in prayer. In other words you could say He opened His ear each morning to receive instructions for the day from God the Father (read Isaiah. 50:4, 5). If the Lord Jesus felt the need of this early morning quiet time; if Jesus needed to go to a deserted place to pray, as He often did, how much more should you and I! Notice too that He prayed when it cost Him something; He rose and went out a long while before daylight. Prayer should not be a matter of personal convenience but of self-discipline and sacrifice. Does this explain why so much of our Church service is ineffective? Note also vs. 36, 37 it says that by the time Simon and the others got up, the crowd was gathered outside the house again. The disciples went to tell the Lord of the rising popular sentiment. Surprisingly, (vs. 38) He did not go back to the city, but took the disciples into the surrounding towns, explaining that He must preach there also. Why did He not return to Capernaum? The reasons, as I learned them from a minister of the Gospel that I respect, were, He had just been in prayer and had learned what God wanted Him to do that day. He realized that the popular movement in Capernaum was shallow. The Savior was never attracted by large crowds. He looked below the surface to see what was in their hearts. And He knew the peril of popularity and taught the disciples by His example to beware of such. He consistently avoided any superficial, emotional demonstration that would have put the crown before the cross. His great emphasis was on preaching the Word. To the synagogues (vs. 39) throughout all Galilee Jesus went preaching and casting out demons. Do you also find it interesting to see how often He cast out demons in synagogues? Do you think that the many liberal churches today correspond to these synagogues?

Shalom