Today’s Devotional Theme
Make Time To Pray
Daily Scripture
Mark 1:35-37
“Now, in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He [Jesus] went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’”
Encouragement
“I know I need to pray more, but I just can’t seem to find time.” A remark like this one is heard all too frequently in today’s hurly-burly, gotta-make-a-living society. Why can’t believers find time to pray? Part of the answer lies behind the phrase, “find time.” Time to pray is a lot like tithing: “I can’t tithe because I run out of paycheck. Ten percent is out of the question.” We typically won’t find time to pray daily. So we have to make time. We have to carve out of our schedule a fixed time and withdraw to a quiet place. Even if at first it’s only for 10 minutes, that’s 10 minutes spent with God that will bring us a little more in tune with God’s will and direction for our lives. Incidentally, tithing follows the same principle. Even if at first we only give 2.5 percent instead of 10, that’s a significant start. God will make our lives a little easier even if, to start, we pray just 10 minutes a day. It’s easy to make excuses not to pray (or tithe). Especially at first, praying is very hard. It feels like one-way communication because our spiritual ears aren’t yet tuned to hear God’s response. It takes diligent and persistent practice to regularly hear God talking back to us.
Apply God’s Word
Jesus might have wished He had 40 hours a day for ministry. He was constantly thronged by crowds of hurting people: the lame, the blind, the woman with the issue of blood, the leper (Mark 2:40-42). These people had heard the reports echoing off the Galilean hills everywhere that this Man – whoever He was – could heal everyone who came in contact with Him. Add to that the time spent teaching His disciples and rebutting the Jewish leaders trying to put Him down, and you have a 40-hour day crammed into 24 hours. The only way Jesus could pray daily and seek time to hear His Father’s direction was to get away from the throngs, go out into the wilderness – his “war room” – and there find some peace and quiet.
Come into His Presence
Father God, I know I’ll never find time to pray. I only pray consistently when I make time for it and retreat into my war room. I thank You for rewarding my time spent with You by easing my yoke, lightening my burden, and shining some coveted clarity into my muddled life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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