HOW JESUS LOVED, Part 17,
WORD OF THE DAY: "PRAYER TIME"
Scripture reference: Mark 1:35:
"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day,
The day before, he was in the synagogue, teaching with authority. He cast out an unclean spirit from a man there and his fame grew quickly as the word got out. After "church," he and some of his disciples went into Simon and Andrew's house, where Simon's mother-in- law was sick. Jesus healed her and she was able to minister to them! Then, when the sun was beginning to set, they brought to Jesus everyone who was possessed with devil spirits and all those who were diseased. The whole city of people gathered at the door!
Jesus healed many of the people, from many different diseases and cast out many evil spirits that night. The record does not show how many people were there or how long it took. We can infer that Jesus was tired by the time he went to sleep that night. He had had a very busy day! I know I would have been tired after a full day like that!
Jesus knew he needed to get up before all those other people did so He could have time to be alone with God. Jesus put His alone time with God ahead of getting more rest. Eventually, his disciples found where he was praying, interrupted him and told him every one was looking for him. Then they went on to the next towns so Jesus could preach there too.
It is not so important that we get up ultra early everyday to pray, as it is to take the time to be alone with God, without distraction and talk to Him everyday. If it means getting up out of bed before everyone else does, so be it. If it means setting aside time to pray, going to a quiet place alone somewhere, so be it. The point is, go pray alone somewhere. Seek God, pour your heart out before Him, take refuge in your loving Father's strength, everyday.
David said, as recorded in Psalm 63:1, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is."
Let us take charge over our day and take the time to pray.
-Carol Kenreigh
he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."
Jesus went off into a lonesome place to pray. He got up very early in the morning, while it was still dark outside. Had Jesus waited to go out to pray at sun up, for instance, he would not have had His needed alone time with God. People followed Him everywhere!
Thanks, Carol
I have gotten so angry at the traditional religious
What a load, the devil has been killing wonderful,
-oneretseabee
Dear Carol,
Love, Sarah
"Many prophets of God were tortured or killed because
the people did not like what was said!"
folks who have been telling us that our sin is what
caused the attack.
committed, standing believers for years. Surely
they didn't all deserve what they got.
The message in your homily is one I have rarely
considered, but upon reflection I can see the
truth in it. We don't often like to be told what
is difficult to hear. We don't take kindly to
criticism and we would rather turn away or lash
out at the person who speaks the hard truth. I can
just imagine what it must have been like for those
Biblical prophets and what they had to endure.
Thanks for your words.
c.Carol Kenreigh, 2001. All rights reserved.