Escape

Luke 21:36

Have you ever just wanted to get away? Life sometimes can be too demanding and overwhelming. Managing family, job, sports, finances, and all the other things in everyday life can be taxing and it seems like we give more than we receive in all this areas of daily life. We do take our various weekend trips and vacations every year but those seem to go by so fast that we never get the rest and replenishment we need. The next thing we know we are experiencing burn out and that can lead to many bad decisions if we are not rooted and grounded in our faith. We don’t need to get away as much as we need an escape!

Jesus has just finished what is known as His Mount Olive Discourse. He describes how turbulent things will be just before the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD and how those same conditions will prevail in the last days before He returns. He warns them about fleeing and escaping the siege that will occur by the Romans (Luke 19:41-44) and how they are not to be weighed down with the cares of this life in the process.

There are three things that He gives them to help them stand when everything else is collapsing around them. He tells them to Be patient. (21:19) He admonishes them to Be focused! (21:26-28) Finally, He encourages them to Be praying! (21:36) And prayer is the key! Prayer keeps us focused and patient when our patience is tried and we become distracted. Prayer is that escape that we are looking for!

So instead of trying to flea and get away from it all, seek instead to find a place to pray. I am convinced that the only way we can stand before the Son of Man in the day of testing and trial is to be on our knees!

Pastor Robby