READ: Mark 1:35-37 NLT
Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
Jesus’ ministry has just begun and he’s much in demand and so very early in the morning he escapes to have some quiet time with his heavenly Father. He needed to carve out protected time for his relationship with God, but it wasn’t easy to find that time and within a short while the disciples are after him, informing him that everyone was looking for him.
I have to believe that if Jesus the Son of God needed that protected time, then so do we. It’s the easiest thing in the world to stuff our lives full of activity. Anyone can do it. But amidst the activity we desperately need to stop and listen to God.
I wonder how you find time to listen to God. Some have a definite amount of time that they set aside for God every morning or evening. Some people read through the bible each year and others follow bible reading notes. Some people pray as they walk the dog – other people have dogs which don’t make that so easily possible! It really doesn’t matter what shape your time with God takes, but what does matter is that we all find that protected space where we can worship God and listen to his voice.
Martyn Luther famously claimed that his life was so busy that he couldn’t hope to survive without three hours of prayer each morning. I’m not suggesting that we all need to do the same as that, but I do believe that we all need to recognise that it is a question of priorities. If spending time with God is our main source of strength then we need to make sure that it is firmly built into the rhythm of our daily lives.
QUESTION: How could you strengthen your own special daily times with God?
PRAYER: Loving heavenly Father, thank you that you love meeting with us and for the way in which you nourish and strengthen our lives day by day. Amidst all the pressures of life help us to protect our special times with you. Amen.

Released on 5 Oct 2020