Scripture: Mark 1:35-39
Journal: Who or what determines what you do on a daily basis? What would it look like if God determined
that?
Reflection:
Jesus is up till the wee hours healing; the
whole town gathered at his doorstep. And
yet, early the next morning, while it is still dark, he sneaks away to a
solitary place to pray. And somehow, during
that time of prayer, his direction is set for the day ahead.
So even as his disciples come
to him, imploring him to come back because “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus responds with clarity: “Let us go somewhere else, to the nearby
villages—so I can preach there also.
That is why I came.”
Somehow, in his time with
the Father, he is reminded of who he is and why he came. He is guided by something far bigger than
whim and opinion and circumstance. And
so, in spite of enormous pressure for him to return to Capernaum, he heads
elsewhere.
And the lesson that follows
is so important for us to understand.
The lesson is that prayer comes first. It is prayer that helps to remind us of who
we are. And it is who we are that helps
us to know why we are here. And
it is why we are here that is meant to determine what we are to do. The order is significant: prayer, who, why,
what. When we get this out of order we
operate at the mercy of opinion, pressure, and circumstance, not the Spirit. For if we are not clear about our who
and our why, we will never be clear about our what.
Maybe the reason we do not
really know who we are is because he have not really learned how to pray. God is dying to tell us, if we will just
listen.
Prayer
Closing
Prayer: O God, help my what to always be
determined by you—not me, not others, not needs, not circumstances. Guide me this day. Remind me of who I am and of why I am
here. I pray this in your name and for
your glory. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment