Welcome back to Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting. Turning prayer into a lifestyle is about being in regular communication with God. In our attempt to do that, lets not forget the the importance of creating space to encounter God free from distractions. By creating a space free from the distractions of the world like our emails, news, and social media we can encounter our Father and invite him into our circumstances. Share with him our fears and anxieties, our hopes and dreams and confess our sins.
Mark Chapter 1
Mark Chapter 1 verses 21-35 reads like a day in the life of Jesus. It seems to be a hectic day beginning with Jesus entering the synagogue in Capernaum and teaching on the Sabbath. During this time he is confronted by a demon-possessed man and He heals him. When He leaves there He goes to the home of Andrew and Peter where he heals Peter’s mother-in-law.
For most of us that would be a pretty packed day but it continues into the evening, when the entire town gathered around the house bringing the sick and demon-possessed. Jesus “healed many who were sick and drove out many demons. I imagine this went late into the night. Yet Mark tells us in verse 35 “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
Very early…
Some read this and hone in on “very early in the morning, while it was still dark”. Now we know not everyone is a morning person. I think our focus should be on the “desolate place”, a location without distraction. How often are you distracted by things around you? Jesus withdrew to a place where no other people or things could distract Him. You see it’s not about the absence of people or the blocking out distractions, it’s about removing obstacles that keep us from talking with God.
Now for some, that means getting up before the others start their day. My mother was not a morning person but she knew that if she did not have her time with God before she left the house it would be hard for her to find that desolate place. So every morning at 5 AM she would get up and go to the spot in the living room she designated for her prayer time and spend an hour in prayer and reading scripture before she went about her day.
Now back then the distractions were still relatively contained. There were no iPads, or smartphones to distract her but today it is so easy to lift our phone first thing and see what notifications we have.
Our Priority should be being with the Father. This may be in worship and thanksgiving..or maybe you feel called to intercede for someone… or maybe it is simply about being in the presence of God.
Matthew 6:6
Matthew 6:6 says ”But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Here Jesus is teaching us the importance of having a time and place set aside for an encounter with God. The Greek word speaks to an inner room of your house, one without windows…which could be another form of distraction.
Another form of distraction is the inner noises and interruptions. The to-do list we keep playing over and over in our head. While the physical space without distractions is important so is alleviating the inward distractions. We need to have a quiet heart and mind before God.
And when we find that quiet Matthew 6:6 says “Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” At the center of a lifestyle of prayer is an Intimacy with Jesus. As I stated above prayer time is about inviting God into our circumstances where we can share with him our fears and anxieties, our hopes and dreams and confess our sins. At its root, a lifestyle of prayer is about living relationally with God. This is about listening and talking to God. It is about thinking on God throughout your day no matter what your day brings.
I close with a challenge to you. I challenge you to find a location that is tucked away and set aside some time. 5 AM might not work for you but that is ok. Find a time when there will be little to no distractions. When the kids were younger and went to bed at 7 I would use that time after they were asleep to have my prayer time. Now that I get up early with Stephen, once he leaves for work at 4:30 I try to have my quiet time before the kids get up for school. Whatever works for you, the important thing to remember is that Jesus sought time to be with the Father. A time and place free from distractions.
“Lord, as we are in the first few days of November, we give thanks to you for all that you are and all that you do for us. Lord, help us to quiet our hearts and minds as we set aside time to be with you just as Jesus did. We are striving to make prayer more than a lifeline, Lord, but a lifestyle that is rooted in a relationship with you. Amen”
Simply ~ Jess