Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed. - Luke 5:16
Almost from the moment His earthly ministry began, Jesus was surrounded by a crowd. In an age when the best form of communication was word-of-mouth, Jesus' fame preceded Him wherever He went and by the time He arrived at His destination, a multitude was usually waiting.
One thing is certain, Jesus didn't learn to pray after He went public. He already knew the value of personal communication with His Father and He never saw His conversation with "Dad" as a nuisance or duty. As the passage above states, "He often withdrew."
Many of us claim to be busy, yet studies reveal anemic prayer lives among most who lead the churches and ministries of our day. Perhaps we personally lack the intimacy with God that we so easily proscribe to others.
Maybe it's time for a little "withdrawal."
If man is man and God is God, to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing; it is an infinitely foolish thing. - Phillip Brooks
Comments