Issue 3 - September 2004
Time to Pray
Michael A. Verdicchio

There is a verse in Mark, Chapter 1 that gives us a peek at the prayer life of Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:35:

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

There are many records in God's Word where Jesus Christ encouraged people to pray and where he taught them how to pray. Here in this verse we get a little glimpse of his prayer life. This was something that he deemed important enough to rise before day, to get alone and quiet so he could pray.

For many years this verse in Mark 1:35 has been an inspiration to me. I have heard teachings and have taught on this verse myself on a number of occasions. Perhaps that which is most striking is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who walked perfectly and always did those things that pleased the Father, was not exempt from prayer! And if anyone would have qualified to maybe be exempt from having to pray because they had reached a level of spirituality no one else has come close to, it would have been Jesus Christ.

There are a number of other verses in God's Word that show us Jesus Christ praying, so this was not an isolated incident. You can read other records of Jesus Christ praying including; praying in a certain place, praying in a solitary place, praying in the wilderness, praying all night; alone in a mountain, before raising Lazarus, in a mountain with Peter, John and James, in the Garden of Gethsemane, even right before he gave his life. In fact, in the Gospel of John, Chapter 17 is Jesus Christ praying shortly before he was arrested. These records show us clearly that Jesus Christ was a man of prayer.

Another thing that is just remarkable about Mark 1:35 is what precedes it. The verse tells us that Jesus Christ got up real early so that he could get alone and pray, but what happened the day before? If you take the time to read in Chapter 1, starting in verse 21 you'll find out what happened the day before.

On that day in Capernaum Jesus Christ taught in the local synagogue. In addition to teaching in the synagogue on that day, he cast out an unclean spirit. When he returned to the house he ministered to Simon's wife's mother and she was immediately healed. Later that night, at sunset, all the city came to his house! They brought all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases and cast out many devils. God's Word doesn't say how late all the activities lasted that night.

Now suppose you had a day like that? Teaching God's Word and healing many people. What would you feel like as you were about to go to sleep? Tired maybe, but with many blessed thoughts of the activities that happened that day? Do you think that as you were about to drift off to sleep after a victorious day like that, you would be planning in your mind to get up real early the next morning so that you could spend some time in prayer? That's exactly what Jesus Christ did!

Jesus Christ was very busy! With all the responsibility and demands that he had he still made the time to get alone so that he could pray. He not only encouraged others to pray, taught them how to pray, but made time during his busy schedule so that he too could pray.

It is interesting that today we have so many new time saving appliances and gadgets and yet it seems like we are all so busy that we have no time to spare. But in the Church Epistles, God's Word speaks to us many times about prayer - how vital and necessary it is! Our prayer life, our quiet time with the Father, is so vital in our Christian walk. Yes, we are busy, but so was Jesus Christ, and even at his level of spirituality, he still made time to pray. So can we!

Mark 1:35:

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.