While it was still dark…
While it was still dark…
This passage shows how popular and busy Jesus was becoming and how the crowds followed Him, but what struck me most was one particular verse, Mark 1:35 says:
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (NIV)
Wow – if Jesus, who is God, made sure that nothing stopped Him spending time with God, how much more do I need to prioritise finding time to spend with God – without distractions. This is a really challenging verse for me. I do pray every day, but seeing the importance Jesus placed on having time alone with the Father really challenged me on my prayer life. We all have busy lives and everyone I speak to, including myself, seems to wish they had more time. But when I really think about my life I can see I do have time each day that would definitely be better spent following Jesus’ example, by finding somewhere quiet to pray and spending time with my Heavenly Father.
We are not told everything Jesus did every day in the Bible, just the key parts – so we know that God is showing us something important – given to us as an example for how we are to live our lives. Note that it doesn’t say how long he prayed for – just that He prioritised the time with God by getting up early, because He knew that was the only time He was going to be able to be alone during the day.
We may not have a lot of free time, but I’m sure we can all make sure to prioritise our time to include spending some quality time with God each and every day. Jesus is God and He still needed this time with His Father to help and guide Him through all that He had to do. So the same must be true for us! Just as I felt challenged as I read this, my challenge to you is:
When can you find some time each day to have quality time with your Heavenly Father – no distractions just you and Him? See the difference God makes in your life as you prioritise time with Him.
Amie Lymer
