Sunday Shorts: A Time to Pray

Mark 1:35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. (NRSV)

Let’s be honest – we all don’t spend enough time in prayer and only give to God some quick points about how He should bless us, our families, and our plans. It’s almost as if we’ve reduced prayer to a spiritual commercial break in our real busy lives and are quite content to be telepathically texting Him with our urgent requests. It’s not a lot to go on, especially if we want to build up a strong relationship with our Creator. We may lament or reason that we’ve too much going on to effectively pray, but as our old preachers used to honestly chide us: if we’re too busy to pray, then we’re just too busy.

            Jesus must have been one of the busiest people on the planet when He lived on Earth. Every day, He had lessons to teach, people to heal, problems to solve, and disciples to herd. I doubt very much that He had any real downtime to relax, lie on a couch, and sip some wine. People were always asking Him questions or pointing out His mistakes during meals, so how He managed to set aside some quality time to pray was a miracle in itself.

            How Jesus did it was to get up early and be alone with God before the day’s work and struggles began. Simply put, He put God first before the scores of people who would soon come His way. Even in this passage (Mark 1:35-39), when Jesus has managed to find a solitary place to go and be with God, He is soon interrupted by His frantic disciples and the whole circus begins again.

            It is said that the great reformer Martin Luther, whose days were equally full compared to Christ’s was once asked when he found time to pray with such a relentless schedule. Luther simply answered: “I get up an hour earlier before the work begins.”

            I think this is the great secret to those who can really pray – they get up early and seek quality time with God to patiently present their thanks and requests, as well as their praises and petitions. Perhaps if we are constantly concerned with our world, both personal and global, we should also set aside an earlier time to pray about our situation, and then learn to quietly listen to God. I guess if it was good enough for Jesus, it should be more than enough for us as followers.

Point to ponder: When do I make time to pray?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You taught us how to pray and why we should pray, but You also revealed to us when we should pray. Encourage and enable all of us to quietly make time to talk to You faithfully, fully, and effectively before our scheduled day begins. In Your Holy Name, we ask. Amen.

 

John Stuart is a retired Scottish pastor living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Short Devotion: Calling on God

 

Genesis 4:26b At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord. (NIV)

 I don’t know how many times in my life that I’ve called on the name of the Lord, but I’m thankful for God’s gracious response when I’ve needed reassurance, guidance, deliverance, and support. Sometimes the Lord didn’t answer me in ways that I expected, so I struggled with those moments, but overall, when I’ve gone to God for help, the Lord has patiently shown me what to do and graciously led me through whatever I was painfully or fearfully experiencing.

 I guess that’s what led people way back in history to call upon the Lord. Whenever they experienced something too big to handle or too puzzling to understand, they looked to their Creator to give them answers. It seems to be an important part of human nature to call on a higher power or even Supreme Being for help. I think I once read somewhere that 92% of the world’s population still pray to God – that’s amazing and just adds to my notion of faith in God. It means that the vast majority of people on Earth, throughout history and up until the present day, believe in God. For me, I find that comforting, so I will continue to call on the Lord in time of trouble and fear, as well as in moments of gladness and celebration.

 As we wander through this new year, I wonder how many times we’ll each call on God in prayer. And how many times will God lovingly answer our requests?

 Prayer: Even now, Lord, as we read or speak these words, we’re calling on Your Name. We’re asking for guidance and blessings, comfort and support. Be near to us even when we wander away; be close to us when we feel lonely or vulnerable; be real to us when reality perplexes us. In Your Holy Name, we make this prayer. Amen.

 

John Stuart is a retired pastor living in Knoxville, Tennessee.