In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus goes off by himself to pray. More accurately, Jesus leaves the crowd of people at the home of Simon (Peter) under cover of night. He leaves the people who have gathered around him to go off by himself. Jesus knows that the group he has gathered around him, as well as the crowds who have come out looking for healing, want him to meet their needs. Jesus knows that he must take time for himself – not just to be alone and rest, but to be with the Father. Jesus takes time to pray. Jesus feels the need to spend time with God the Father. To get that necessary time with the Father, Jesus slips away from the disciples to be alone.
Jesus takes time for himself! It seems so strange to write those words. Jesus, who has in this chapter of Mark been called “the holy one of God”, needs time to rest, take a break from what he has been doing, and evaluate what he is to do next. I know there have been times that I have felt the need to do just that. I suspect there were times I should have done that but just kept going. Just like Jesus we need from time to time to take a break from what we have been doing and evaluate what we should be doing next.
If Jesus could take time from his mission to pray and be with God the Father, then certainly we to can find the time. Nothing that we are doing is so important that we can’t stop for a moment to spend time with God in prayer. If we don’t find that time we might accomplish many things – but they may not be what we want to or should accomplish.
Pastor Bill