Listen

Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. Simon and those with him tracked him down. When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”

He replied, “Let’s head in the other direction, to the nearby villages, so that I can preach there too. That’s why I’ve come.” He traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and throwing out demons.

Mark 1:35-39

Think

If I had to guess, I bet Jesus went off to quiet places to pray more often than the Bible actually tells us. At least I hope he did, because scripture recounts him as a very busy person. It can be hard to know when or find the time to step back and rest. Pausing and resting is often frowned upon in our world. You can always study more, practice harder, pick up an extra shift, hang out with one more friend. That constant movement and motion can be exhausting and leave us feeling rundown. Mark very clearly shows us that taking a step back to spend time with God is just as important as everything else Jesus is doing. It is because Jesus took that time to be alone in prayer that he could continue about his ministry and continue traveling. Time alone, time in prayer, time in silence is a good and wise thing. It’s those practices that give us strength to keep going.

Stephanie Bohannon

Question to Ponder:

What are some ways you can create space for silence, prayer, and time with God in your daily life?

Pray

God, thank you for always being a source of rest and comfort. It can be hard to find time to be silent, and sometimes I don’t want to do that. Help me to remember that spending time with you is how I restore my heart. Amen.

Go

When life feels too heavy to keep moving forward, may we remember our hope and strength are in Christ.