What do you do when you are alone with God?

Mark 4:10 says “When he was alone, the twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables”

What do YOU do when you are alone with God?  The first assumption is that we GET ALONE with God.  Alone time with God must be part of my daily routine.  Psalm 62:1 says “My soul finds rest in God alone.”  Now, I know this is not correct exegesis … and I don’t believe in misusing text, but if we move the words around there is a truth there too … “Alone with God, my soul finds rest.”  There is great truth there.  So, from the habit of time alone with God, what will I do?  What will i make of the great privilege I have to be alone with God?

Certainly rest is a good thing when we are alone with God, rest in him.  Be still and know him as God.  In stillness we find rest.

What else comes in our alone time with God?  Repentance is always appropriate when we are alone with God.  Isaiah saw The Lord, alone with him, in a time of great loss in Isaiah 6.  He saw the Lord, in charge, expansive, awesome, and Holy.  Then he saw himself as he was, a man of unclean lips living among people with the same problems.

Alone with God, then Isaiah was cleansed and forgiven as an angel took coals from the fire and cleansed him.

Then alone with God, he heard the call of God, “who will I send, who will go for us?”  Isaiah’s response?  “Choose me Lord.”  Alone with God, we have a chance to hear his heart, see his view and passion for the world and then we will want to join him.

So, here in Mark 4, Jesus had just told the parable of the Sower and the Seed.  When they got alone with him, they asked for revelation .  Jesus was speaking in parables and while his message may have been clear, it was somewhat hidden from those who didn’t care to know more.  I believe that is still true.  There is still a mystery and a hidden quality to the proclamation of “thus saith the Lord.”  When God’s messenger delivers God’s message to me, I still need to come before the Lord, alone, and ask him, “Lord what was in there for me?” “Lord what is the meaning and the application?”

Jesus told them basically that the secrets of the Kingdom are for those who desire to enter and live in the the Kingdom, those who desire to live according to the Kingdom.  But to those who choose to stay on the outside, in disbelief and disobedience, it is just stories.

Mark 4:11 NIV84 “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.  But to those on the outside everything is said in parables”

So, some of the greatest truth and revelation comes when I take the God given message and go before the Lord and say “Jesus, what is this?” “Holy Spirit, reveal truth to me.”  Remember that Jesus said that the work of the Holy Spirit is to lead us into all truth” to “remind us of everything he has said” to take from Jesus and “Make known to you”.

So, it must be our habit, when we hear a message to take notes, or otherwise preserve the message and then go before the Lord and say “teach me, reveal to me” and then let the Holy Spirit do his job and reveal truth and application to our lives.  Then enter in to the truth.  Live as Kingdom citizens, eager to obey, longing to adjust to His truth, His ways, and then the words of the message are not just stories but Life and Truth.

What will you do when you are alone with God?  Will you bring words of a message in and let God speak to you?  Don’t go in empty handed.