Word@Work 077 - Mark 6:45-46
Published: Thu, 03/06/08
Word@Work from BeaconLight
Read Mark 6:45-46 Immediately, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. (NIV)
The 5000 had been fed, the disciples were refreshed; but Jesus had another appointment. He needed time with His Father, and that needed to be alone. There was no protracted celebration of the miraculous feast; instead, the disciples were dispatched across the lake in a boat - immediately! Jesus did not trouble with a lap of honour - he had not come to wow the crowd but to please his Father ... and so the pressing priority was to pray.
We know only a little about the prayer life of Jesus, from those prayers that were overheard and recorded; but we do know that He gave the top priority to being with His Father. When he taught about prayer, Jesus advised his disciples to get alone with Father God - nobody else in the room, and the door closed. But that night the mountainside became the secret rendezvous between the Father and Son of God - before the next faith-training session for the disciples.
If Jesus needed his secret prayer time, why do we sometimes think that we don't? Of all the priceless privileges of a child, free access to a loving Father must surely be top of the list. Without that intimacy we cannot live as loved ones, engage with our Father's heart, or have the confidence that everything about us is known. It should be obvious that no service for God can be attempted without being with Him; and no victory is complete without giving Him the praise. Obvious? Does that put a new perspective on living today as a Christian?
Prayer: Father God, how wonderful that you should want me to spend time with you. Forgive me for treating this privilege so lightly and for thinking that I can serve you at work and home - without discussing it all with you. I want to follow the example of Your Son who made His relationship with You, a special priority. Teach me how to work with you, today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
The 5000 had been fed, the disciples were refreshed; but Jesus had another appointment. He needed time with His Father, and that needed to be alone. There was no protracted celebration of the miraculous feast; instead, the disciples were dispatched across the lake in a boat - immediately! Jesus did not trouble with a lap of honour - he had not come to wow the crowd but to please his Father ... and so the pressing priority was to pray.
We know only a little about the prayer life of Jesus, from those prayers that were overheard and recorded; but we do know that He gave the top priority to being with His Father. When he taught about prayer, Jesus advised his disciples to get alone with Father God - nobody else in the room, and the door closed. But that night the mountainside became the secret rendezvous between the Father and Son of God - before the next faith-training session for the disciples.
If Jesus needed his secret prayer time, why do we sometimes think that we don't? Of all the priceless privileges of a child, free access to a loving Father must surely be top of the list. Without that intimacy we cannot live as loved ones, engage with our Father's heart, or have the confidence that everything about us is known. It should be obvious that no service for God can be attempted without being with Him; and no victory is complete without giving Him the praise. Obvious? Does that put a new perspective on living today as a Christian?
Prayer: Father God, how wonderful that you should want me to spend time with you. Forgive me for treating this privilege so lightly and for thinking that I can serve you at work and home - without discussing it all with you. I want to follow the example of Your Son who made His relationship with You, a special priority. Teach me how to work with you, today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
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