Limelight

Luke 5:15-16 But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.


The earliest spotlights for stage were created by heating quicklime (calcium oxide) in a hot flame producing an intense light used to shine on solo performers. Obviously we use the term to mean someone who is in the public eye since electricity replaced the need for limelights. On a large or small scale many people are found in the limelight. I came from a town where athletes in high school were treated special in a limelight kind of way. A priest can be in the limelight at times. It is hard to avoid the desire to stay in the limelight. It feels good when people treat you special like a celebrity. Jesus, however, seemed to make every effort to not only avoid but to escape the limelight. He would withdraw to a deserted place and pray. In his ministry he never forgot to place the focus on the Father. He often said he only did what the Father told him to do and said only what the Father told him to say. In his humanity on earth he knew the power belonged to the Father and accomplished great things through Jesus only ny the Father's will. He gave the glory to the Father and avoided the limelight for himself. The deserted place helped him avoid the limelight but his prayer was also to keep the right relationship with the Father.


Life works for me when I keep finding the deserted place away from the worlds opinion of me and settle before my Lord in prayer. I need regularly, at least daily, to spend time in building my relationship with Jesus. Yesterday I drove alone for ten hours from Cleveland area to the Boston area. Near the end of he trip I realized that I had not turned on my music or any noise making device the whole day. I had been in thought and prayer the whole time. Most of the thoughts were about my life and the blessing God has given me and expressing the gratitude I feel toward him. I prayed for friends, one who I knew had a doctors appointment. I prayed for my church. When I realized how I had spent the day I was shocked, not because I prayed but because I was so content for so long just being in the spiritual presence of my Lord. Even more shocking it was on a rainy day on the new York Throughway.