A Heart for Prayer: 5 Days of Drawing Close to Father GodSýnishorn

Wilderness

Years ago, I heard about a program called The Fresh Air Fund that was started in 1877 by a man named Reverend Willard Parsons. The goal was to introduce disadvantaged children living in the inner cities to the “great outdoors.” The program began as a way to benefit the youth in New York City.

Reverend Parsons asked his Sherman, Pennsylvania, parishioners to volunteer to host inner-city youth for a time away in the country. They agreed, and The Fresh Air Fund was off and running. The program still flourishes today, offering a choice of five camps in Upstate New York for the city’s children to enjoy time away and learn about country life.1  

Sometimes we all need some fresh air. I’m not just referring to our smog-polluted cities. Pollution comes in many forms, including the overload of messages we receive through our TVs, smartphones, computers, or radios. These messages aren’t all bad of course, but noise is noise.

Even the Son of God needed fresh air . . . often.

Sometimes Jesus would heal someone and tell them to keep quiet about it. “But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases” (Luke 5:15).

Yeah, that strategy usually backfired. I mean, c’mon, how long could you hold it inside after being completely healed of leprosy or cancer? Not to mention, the spectators witnessing this kind of miracle would have the same difficulty.

The “vast crowds” weren’t going away anytime soon with Jesus on the scene. In order for Jesus to have some alone time with his Father, he had to withdraw to the wilderness. The following is one definition of wilderness in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: “an area essentially undisturbed by human activity together with its naturally developed life community.” 

If the Son of God saw the need to retreat for undisturbed prayer, how about you and I? When we observe the life of Jesus, we get the sense that he craved that uninterrupted time with his Dad. It was an example of complete dependency, which each of us needs with him as well.

We could all benefit from withdrawing to the wilderness for prayer on a regular basis, whether for a few hours or a few days. As we do so, wonderful results will follow.

Reflection: What would it look like for you to withdraw to the wilderness, regardless of where you live? Research quiet places in your neck of the woods, including retreat centers, nature preserves, and designated parks. If your budget allows, perhaps consider a lake cabin or beach house. Finally, be intentional about scheduling something soon.