Mark 1:35 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.
Jesus chose to come into the world when there was no electricity, transportation and internet. The lamps in their homes were the only source of light at night. So, when Jesus spoke about the lamp, people understood it better than we do. In modern times, lamps are often used more for aesthetic appeal than for functional lighting. Jesus walked everywhere. The places where we travel by motor vehicles, His precious feet touched the dirty dusty ground. News spread by word of mouth, not through satellites and stereos. In the world with very little facilities and amenities, Jesus woke up very early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went to a solitary place to pray. Bible Scholars believe that Jesus woke up at about 3am in the morning to pray. Sunrise is about 6am in the Middle East.
The first and most important noticeable daily routine of Jesus was “Early Morning Prayer”. Early morning, while it is still dark and the dew is still on the grass, is a very special and precious time of prayer. Early morning is before our normal routine chores of the day begin. Jesus spent the first few hours praying. What did Jesus pray about? What were His problems? He had no sin to confess, no debt to pay or relationship issues to resolve. The prayer of Jesus with the Father in Heaven would have been a discussion about His mission on earth and about the precious souls that He came to redeem.
The foremost lesson we learn from Jesus is a “lifestyle of prayer”.
Lifestyle of Prayer:
1. Prioritize: Our time of prayer should be our first and foremost appointment of the day. “Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night” – George Herbert. Prioritize prayer above all else.
2. Precious: Our time of prayer is the most precious time of the day. If we start our day with prayer we will continue communing with Him throughout the day. Let your first thoughts be about Jesus, let your first words be to Him and let your first few minutes or hours be with Him.
3. Prayer: Prayer must become our lifestyle. We must learn to pray about everything big or small. “Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden” – Corrie Ten Boom. Jesus prayed before starting a day, He prayed before performing a miracle, He prayed before eating and He prayed for the ignorant, lost and rebellious. Prayer was His lifestyle.
Make prayer your lifestyle. Prioritize prayer, make prayer your precious part of the day and pray without ceasing.
Psalm 5:3 “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly”.
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, stir up the fervor in me to pray about everything big and small and prioritize prayer above everything else. I commit to live a lifestyle of prayer. Amen.
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