Waldeinsamkeit

Read

Mark 6:30-31 The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

What it is speaking to me:

I am terrible at speaking the German language, but man I love how they create crazy words to describe very specific concepts or situations. Like:

• "Kummerspeck" directly translates to "grief bacon" and is used to describe the excess weight gained from emotional overeating.

• "Ohrwurm" is the origin of our English "earworm." It describes the song that you can't get out of your head.

• "Erklärungsnot" encapsulates the anxiety of coming up with an explanation for something, especially when caught off-guard.

As much as I enjoy grief bacon, this devotional is about Waldeinsamkeit, which literally translates to "forest loneliness," but really refers to the satisfying solitude found when venturing alone in the woods. It describes the sense of peace that comes from removing oneself from the modern chaos of distraction, technology, and urban life.

The disciples had been busy doing ministry, and successfully I might add, because they wanted to tell Jesus all about it. In the midst of all that busyness, Jesus wanted to get away to seclusion. To, in a sense, get lost in the woods. Several places in the gospels describe Jesus retreating from the crowds and busyness to pray and spend time with His Father.

Similarly, we all are busy and need the same kind of retreat. To unplug from the crowds, physical and digital, and get away to pray and spend time with our Father. Jesus did not always do it for days at a time; sometimes it was just for the morning. We can find solitude wherever we are if we are intentional about it. And if you can swing it, even a tree in your backyard gets you that much closer.

Even without the full woods, we can follow the spirit of Waldeinsamkeit. Leave the phone, dump the earbuds, and have unfiltered, undistracted communion with your Father.

What is it saying to you?

How do you feel when you are alone in nature?

How do you do mentally when you are not being constantly distracted by digital input?

How and where do you like to commune with God?

What are we going to do about it?

Go get into God's creation today, as much as you can, even if you can only manage it for 15 minutes. Have communion.