Jul 14

Mark 1:32-35
Memorise 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“…that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

Jesus was very much a human being like you and me. He had a normal human body that needed food and rest. There were times when He was thirsty and was hungry and other times we know Jesus was physically tired. When Jesus assumed the form of a man, He took upon Himself a completely human body so that His eventual sacrifice on the cross would be perfect. In our passage today, we read that Jesus rose up very early in the morning and went to a solitary place to pray. To better understand the context of this passage we should read the passages before it. In doing so, we learn that the day before, Jesus was brought many who needed healing and healed many of them. In Mark 1:33 we read, “all the city were gathered together at the door”. This would mean that there were hundreds if not thousands of people seeking Jesus’ attention and healing powers. They came in the evening after the sun set, and so they probably would have been there late into the night. We must remember that Jesus had the constitution of an ordinary man, and would have been very exhausted by the episode. It is in this context that we read that Jesus then awoke very early the next day to pray. If you were Jesus, what would you have done? Probably we will just take the day off and rest. Instead, we are told that He rose up very early in the morning! Sleep was not on His mind though He must have been tired. Instead his priority was to pray! What do you think would have been the content of Jesus’ prayer? I think He would certainly have asked for God to restore His physical strength. He would have asked for grace for the coming day so as to glorify God yet again.

Do you often feel tired after a long school day? I’m sure there are many challenges to wear you out. What do you think to do when you feel weak and exhausted? Do you yearn for the time when you can rest, just lay in bed? Or, do you think to pray? Christ gave us the example. Christ through His actions showed us as believers what we should do. When tired, pray. Christ took it very seriously. He set aside the very early hours of the day and spent time alone with God the Father. He knew the importance and necessity of it. We too should do the same, so that we too can glorify God in the coming day.

Thought: In prayer, ask for things that will honour the Lord, not ourselves.
Prayer: Father, help me to pray without ceasing.