March 29

Communion with God

Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray. — Mark 1:35 BSB

Jesus always made time for prayer, even if it meant sacrificing sleep. No matter how busy His days were, He never allowed Himself to be robbed of time with God.

Some Christians think they are too busy to pray. Their work presses them in the morning, and they feel they can’t make time for prayer. Their day is filled with duties, leaving no quiet moment for communion with God. In the evening, they may be too tired, or their social obligations take up their time, and prayer is neglected. Jesus’ example is a stern rebuke to such excuses. We must find time for communion with God, or God will not find time to bless us.

Some people claim they can pray just as well while walking or working. They see no need to set aside special time for prayer. While Jesus surely communed with His Father even during His busiest hours, this wasn’t enough to meet the deep longings of His soul. He often left the crowds, even His closest disciples, to find a place where He could be alone with God. If Jesus needed such times of solitude, how much more do we? We need to find a place for prayer where nothing can distract us, where we can shut out the world and focus solely on God. As Jesus said, “Enter into your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray.”