Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I'm Bill Crowder and I titled today's reading,

Quiet, Please.

Green Bank, West Virginia is a tiny community in the rugged Appalachian Mountains. The town resembles dozens of other

small towns in the area with one major exception. None of the 142 residents have access to Wi-Fi.

This is to prevent interference from Wi-Fi or cellular phone towers near the Greenbank

Observatory, whose telescope is constantly trained on the sky.

As a result, Green Bank is one of the most technologically quiet places in North America.

Sometimes quiet is the best environment for moving forward, especially in our relationship with God.

Jesus himself modeled this by retreating to quiet, secluded places to talk with his father.

In Luke 516 we read, Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Perhaps the key word there is often.

This was Christ's regular practice, and it sets the perfect example for us. If the creator of the

universe was this aware of his dependence upon his father, how much more do we need him?

Retreating to a quiet place to be refreshed in God's presence

equips us to go forward in his renewing strength.

Where can you find such a place today?

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Luke chapter 5, verses 12 through 16.

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.

When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged

him, Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.

I am willing, he said, be clean. And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the

sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing as a testimony to them.

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