“Jesus is always encountered in stillness and silence.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 23, 2024
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” Mark 1:35-37, NKJV
In a time of globalized conflict, economic hardship, and political corruption, everyone longs for hope and a peaceful future. A simple glance at the morning headlines is enough to remind us that things in this world are deeply broken and not as they are meant to be. Though we’re promised a coming kingdom in which justice and mercy will reign, at times, that kingdom can feel a million miles away. Yet to be a Christian is to cling to hope and the belief that things will not always remain as they are and to trust that Christ is at work, often in out of sight and unseen ways.
As Mark 1 says, everyone is looking for Jesus. In the face of such great brokenness, who wouldn’t long for a prince of peace to come and heal our world? Who isn’t drawn in by his words of compassion and tender care? However, we all know people who find this to be nothing more than a hollow sentiment or a figment of our imaginations, with no connection to the actual world in which we live.
Perhaps you find yourself in a similar spot today. You long to believe in Jesus and to encounter him at work in our world and our lives, yet you don’t know how to find him or where to even begin your search. When you read today’s passage, your heart may deeply resonate with the words of verse 37: everyone is looking for Jesus…but no one can seem to find him!
Is it that Christ is unknowable, or do we simply look for him in all the wrong places?
The Israelites expected Christ to be their revolutionary leader, waging war against the Romans and leading them back to the glory they once knew. In our own day, we often think Jesus is principally found in the political battles we wage or in the institutions we build. Yet, in truth, though we often encounter many things said and done in his name in spaces such as these, it is not in the halls of power that we should look for his transforming presence. The Jesus who changed the world and gives life to every human heart is always encountered in stillness and silence.
If you’re wondering where Jesus is and want to encounter him afresh, you must wake before dawn and seek him in a solitary place. And if we search for him with all our might, we will find him there, in prayerful communion with the Father, and in the mystery of all mysteries, he will invite us to join him in that fellowship of love. Let us take off our shoes and enter this holy place with fear and reverence, for it is here that we find what our souls have searched for our entire lives.
Prayer
As we join Jesus in the still and quiet place, let us today pray as he has taught us to pray, saying:
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Application
Reflect today on the various places you look for Jesus or expect to find him in the world and in your life. Consider how you can cultivate a deeper pursuit of him in stillness and silence.
Related Reading
Psalm 5:3; Psalm 27:14; Psalm 62:5
Worship Resource
Red Rocks Worship – Be Still
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