Devotion
Mark 1:35 ESV
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He (Jesus) departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
If we could stop for a moment and get a mental picture of this. Jesus, God in flesh, the Creator of the universe, gets up early, puts on His outer garment, and goes outside while it is still dark to pray. Maybe only seeing the glow on the horizon created by the sun just before it rises in the east. He walks to a place where He can be alone, no distractions, no one to interrupt, and He either sits down, kneels down or just stands and begins to look up and worship. That’s devotion!
Our routines can barely afford a cup of coffee before we dart out to do whatever we have to do. Even in retirement, there seems to always be something that needs to get done. I’ve spent the majority of my life so busy that I felt like I could never stop doing something from sunrise to well after dark.
Growing up in the Lee home my mother always maintained that we take out time for God’s Words, God’s presence with praise and time to ask for the day’s blessings. That has been my routine for sixty-seven years.
As children, the six boys, mom and dad would pile into the small living room and read a few words from the Bible, then we would pray. We prayed as long as mom prayed, and we did not dare move until she said amen. The bus driver would be blowing her horn, it did not matter, we prayed until mom said we were done.
One of my greatest revelations from God was one day when I was far away from home, alone, doing my devotions when I was nineteen years old.
Take a few minutes, read a few words from the Master, praise Him and then ask for the days blessings and protection and then carry on the day. You will not be disappointed, and you will be prepared for the day.
Prayer:
Lord, help us to follow Your example. Help us to turn off the TV, put the phone away or at least on silence, back away from the computer, find our time to be alone with You to listen, or read Your words, and praise and pray. Early in the morning will I rise up and seek You Lord!