“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” - Mark 1:35 (NIV).
Habits have long been realized as essential to our wellbeing. Every life has a habit. For example, most of every one of us must brush their teeth early in the morning, as a habit. In most households there is a habit of greeting each other, first thing in the day. When you have a habit, you do not need to be prompted for it is part of you. Like washing hands before dining; those with this habit, do not need to be reminded.
The Lord Jesus had a habit, as we see in our verse today. It was the habit of walking up early in the morning to pray. Perhaps we may speculate on the reason behind this habit of his. First, the morning is usually in most places a quiet time allowing one to be alone without interruption and concentrate on a certain matter. Jesus did not want any destruction when talking to His Father in heaven. Then, also, for most people when they rise up there are fully energized after a night’s rest. With their minds alert they can bring their needs to the Almighty God with a clear purpose.
Your life may have as many habits, but one which could be just as helpful is waking up early to pray, as a first thing. Psalm 5:3, says, “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” There is of course no time of the day God has earmarked believers for prayers, nor locking one in a particular position like the Mohammedans. However, taking after the regular habit of Jesus, this one might be a good habit, worth adopting.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I rise up early in the morning to give you praise for you have been so good to me, and may you go ahead of me today, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
Related upcoming events
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06/05/2024 - 07/05/2024 All day“Do not confirm to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
Almost all cultivators are aware that if soils are used perpetually without rains but constantly under work they are deprived of all nutrients. So, though once productive, they lose all power to yield fresh crops as before. But so is our Christian life when we do not regularly feed our spirit life with the Word!
In our leading verse, the Apostle Paul is urging believers to “renew” their minds rather than make them stale, lest they end up losing all power to yield fruit. But how is this done? We renew our minds by constantly reading the Word of God, for there are always insights with God speaking to us afresh. Psalm 119:104-5 says, “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” The Apostle Peter reminds us, “Like newborn babies hungry for milk, you should want the pure teaching that feeds your spirit. With it you can grow and be saved.” It is a beautiful illustration for any who have seen a hungry baby sucking the teats of a mother.
Renewing our minds is also by reading about the lives of people of faith who have walked before us and their created works. The Christian faith started in the first century after Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead. Now over two millenniums it has produced giants of faith who have shared their walk with God through inspired teachings that are a treasure to dig into. By scouring the writings of the great saints before us, listening to their recorded sermons, songs and preaching, which these days can be found on virtual medial channels like Yu tube, reading their biographies, our faith is renewed.
And then we also renew our faith through fellowship. When the Apostle Paul urges us, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” ( Hebrews 10:25), he is reminding us that our faith cannot grow in isolation. During the Covid pandemic lockdown one bitter issue was denying Believers opportunity to meet fellow followers of Christ to share testimonies showing the work of God in their lives.
So today, if your faith is on a low keel, or you want it to flower, one thing you can’t help doing without is “renewing” your mind. The blessings to unfold are endless.
Prayer for today:Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a treasure we have of your rich Word to dig into always; books around us of faith to inspire us; and believers to share our faith- may we make use of these, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
