PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 1:35-39
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
“Let us go… to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also.” (Mark 1:38)
As a follower of Jesus, we look to Jesus for guidance in how to live.
Here we see Jesus prioritizing His time – His time with God, and with others.
How do you prioritize your time, how important is prayer in your scheduling?
How do you respond to pressure from others?
Do you let others determine what you do, when and how?
Jesus makes time with God first priority, and doing God’s will second priority.
Time with God is what clarifies what His purpose and priorities need to be.
He knows why He has come, what His calling is, and what He must do.
People will always have expectations of us.
Success isn’t doing what others want, nor what we want, but what God wants.
And we can’t know what that is unless we spend time with God finding out.
Time alone with God will anchor us in our identity and purpose in Him.
Knowing this, we will be able to say, “this is why I have come!” (v.39)
PRAYER
Lord, my priorities are out of alignment. I am becoming a slave to the expectations of others rather than a servant to You and Yours. Help me to put first things first!
Jesus was very busy and as people were coming to him: “everyone was looking for him” [I wish that were true today] – Jesus was under a lot of stress I’m sure. He also had compassion and love for the people – so it was also emotionally draining. Jesus knew where to find strength – and so do I, so do we as followers – I need to be praying as I go but also in quiet times – the latter I need to do more!
Spending time with the Lord.
When?
I need to do it early in the morning, the first thing I do to meet the challenges of the day. Standing on the threshold of a new day I need His guidance because I have never been this way before.
Thanks for this site which helps me start each day anew in a focused way.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of his Word
What a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will, he abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.