³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying. (Mark 1:35 CSB)

How often do you go off by yourself and spend time with God?

We may not be able to go to deserted places, but we can find quiet places and moments where we can take time and be with God.

Christ did this frequently and it is a practice we too should cultivate. I am sure like many of you, I struggle with this. While I do make time every morning to read my bible and a few devotionals, and write this one, I realize that it often is not a time of solitude. My mind is occupied with what I plan to write and then with the burden of the day to come.

While it may not be possible (and anything is possible if we put our mind to it) to take a large block of time, small moments are still valuable. They are valuable not only to our growth in our faith walk, they are valuable with the intimacy we create with God.

God desires our personal interaction and this is where many get hung up. They think prayer and connection is a one way street. It is a microphone with no speaker. They do not see their relationship with God as a child depends upon a parent. And no child depends upon a parent who never speaks to them.

But how do we experience this two way relationship with God? By spending quite, personal time in the Word that is often His voice to us. Praying the scriptures and discerning what the Spirit reveals to us in our conversation.