Jesus made a priority of prayer. He would constantly draw away by Himself to spend time with the Father, and often to secluded places, far away from the crowds and the bustle of the cities He traveled to. Here are a few instances:
- Jesus went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray, Matthew 14:23.
- Jesus prayed all night, till shortly before dawn, Matthew 14:25.
- Jesus got up very early in the morning… went off to a solitary place, where He prayed, Mark 1:35.
- Jesus spent all night praying, Luke 6:12.
- Jesus was praying in private, Luke 9:18.
- Jesus thanked the Father for always hearing Him, “I know that You always hear Me,” John 11:42.
Everywhere Jesus traveled there was need. Crowds of people followed Him seeking help for healing, deliverance, signs and wonders. There was a steady stream of people hungry to hear Him teach. And His disciples were almost continually with Him. He was busy. Yet He made prayer a priority. He wanted to be with His Father. He delighted in the Father, and the Father delighted in Him.
Many of us lead busy lives. Our schedules can be full of many great and worthwhile things. But the greatest of all these is that we have been invited into Friendship with our Father. This Friendship grows by time alone in prayer.
If you make prayer a priority, building it into a daily-life habit, you will soon find that even the busiest days don’t feel so busy any more. The presence of God will carry you through more and more of your days. And as you learn this new way of living, you will find yourself becoming more creative, more efficient, having a bigger capacity, able to do more, and in large part, this is due to having an increased awareness of His presence in every aspect of your life.
Making a priority of prayer prioritizes God. He loves to be prioritized. “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). And He delights to spend time with YOU!
