By Austin B. Tucker
Mark 1:35-39
After a long day of ministry and a short night of rest, Jesus got up before dawn and slipped out of the house. Later others woke up. Someone, maybe Peter, asked, "Where's Jesus?" No one knew. As the little fishing village of Capernaum began to stir, the disciples asked around, "Have you seen Jesus?"
"No, but we are looking for him. We heard he made quite a scene in the synagogue. Everyone is talking about his amazing power to heal. And such power over demons!"
Soon someone picked up the trail. It led around the northern edge of the lake and up into the hills where they found Jesus praying. It was Peter who confronted the Christ in a reproving voice: "Everyone is looking for you!" (vs 37). "They are bringing their sick and broken relatives from all over for you to fix. What do you mean slipping off without telling anyone?"
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But Jesus had an appointment of infinitely higher priority: He needed to withdraw from service to meet alone with the Father. And from time to time don't we? When our spiritual energy is spent, (Thank God!) there is a way to renew it.
If Jesus needed to get up and go out early to prayer, how much more do we!
Before the phone starts ringing, before the work day begins, we need to be alone with God. How much calmer will be our hectic schedules when we do give the Lord the priority he deserves. Our human frailty demands it. We have too much to do to try to do it in our mortal strength. Remember Ralph Cushman's poem?
I met God in the morning When my day was at its best,
And His presence came like sunrise, Like a glory in my breast.All day long the Presence lingered, All day long he walked with me,And we sailed in perfect calmness O'er a very troubled sea.Other ships were blown and battered, Other ships were sore distressed,But the winds that seemed to drive them Brought to us a peace and rest.Then I thought of other mornings, With a keen remorse of mind,When I too had loosed the moorings, With the Presence left behind.So I think I've learned the secret, Learned from many a troubled way:You must seek God in the morning If you want him through the day.("Prayer Poems," compiled by O.V. and Helen Armstrong. Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1942.)
If Jesus needed to find a solitary place for prayer, don't we?
They go together, you know, the quiet time and the quiet place. We bow our heads before the Father in reverence; we close our eyes to help shut out the distractions around us. Maybe we need to stop our ears, too, against the din of this world that is "too much with us."