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Editors note: These devotionals are taken from the PS archives and are based on the time I spent with the Lord in His Word. I wanted to share them with you this new school year from the Gospel of Mark! Revisions have been made!

^“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. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” (Mark 1:35-39)

Observations:

I asked myself what were the actions of Jesus!

I learned that ‘very early in the morning, while it was still dark’ Jesus did 4 things:

Jesus got up.
Jesus left the house.
Jesus went out to a solitary place.
Jesus prayed.

Observations/Interpretations:

Point 1: Jesus got up

I asked myself why it is significant that ‘very early in the morning’ is mentioned!

I found this very significant because this happened after Jesus spent so much time healing people with various diseases the night before. Yet, Jesus still gets up very early in the morning. He does not let the night before interfere with what He wanted to do and needed to do. He did not cling to the bed for extra doses of sleep. Not only does Jesus get up but does something else which is evident by point 2.

Point 2: Jesus left the house

I asked myself why it is significant that Jesus left the house!

It is very possible that Jesus was still staying in Simon and Andrew’s house where He had fellowship with them, healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and healed people who came to the door with various diseases. The house could have been packed with Simon and Andrew’s family and guests including Jesus. I believe Jesus does not want to disturb any of them so He leaves the house. We do find another reason why Jesus leaves the house which is evident in points 3 & 4.

Point 3&4: Jesus went out to a solitary place where He prayed.

I asked myself why Jesus wanted to go to a solitary place!

Jesus wanted some privacy so He could pray. The house setting was not going to do because there were many people in the house still sleeping. Waiting for people to get up was not also going to be feasible because then Jesus would not have had privacy to bring His requests before the Father. But this way, Jesus started out His day spending time alone with the Father without any disturbances. For that to happen, Jesus sacrificed His sleep and got up while it was still dark. Jesus exhibited qualities of sacrifice early on.

As Jesus is praying in a solitary place, something else is happening back at the house later. This is evident by v.36.

“Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’” (Mark 1:36)

There are two things that Simon and his companions do

They went to look for Jesus.
When they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!”

Statement 1: They went to look for Jesus.

If they went to look for Jesus, this tells me that Jesus was not nearby where he could be easily located and disturbed. Jesus wanted that private time alone with the Lord. It is also possible that they all slept for awhile after Jesus left because now everyone is awake and doing something which is evident by statement 2.

Statement 2: When they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!”

Eventually, Simon and his companions found Jesus and exclaimed that everyone was looking for Him. This also tells me that Jesus might have spent a lot of time in prayer and it took sometime for them to find Jesus. The amount of time they slept after Jesus left the house and the amount of time it took to find Jesus can give us the idea how much time Jesus spent with the Father that morning. If everyone was looking for Jesus then it was a time where most of them were already up. That’s a lot of time Jesus spent in a solitary place.

Observation:

I asked myself how Jesus responds to their exclamation!

Jesus responds with 3 replies

Let us go somewhere else to the nearby villages.
So I can preach there also.
That is why I have come.

Observation/Interpretation:

These statements are so significant to me because Jesus made these statements to Simon and his companions after He had spent time with the Father. He was sharing His insights with them after prayer. Even though people were looking for him from one place, Jesus wanted them to know that He did not come to be confined to one area and one sub-population but came for other people too.

It is very interesting that Jesus did not say that He came to heal people but ‘so I can preach there also’. The Gospel was priority in Jesus’ life. But to present the Gospel, Jesus also met people where they were so they would be more receptive to the Gospel. This is evident by v.39.

" So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” (Mark 1:39)

Because of time spent in prayer, Jesus and His companions traveled throughout Galilee preaching in the synagogues and driving out demons.

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life as I studied this passage. The most important thing I learned is the importance of solitary time with the Lord to spend in prayer. I learned how prayer before the Father gave Jesus insight on what to do. These days we also have the Word of God in print for us to spend with the Father in prayer. Praying God’s Word and spending time in God’s Word can give me new insights on what the Lord wants me to do that day rather than going my own way.

I ask you now dear friends, how much importance do you give to solitary time with the Lord?

Dear friends, I learned from this passage the importance of solitary time with the Father. When we spend time alone with the Father without any distractions, He reveals to us what He wants us to do and we know we can be guided in His footsteps. That is so exciting to know! Jesus set an example for us on the importance of prayer. Now God has also given us His Word to be able to listen to Him and do what He wants for our lives. Unless, we spend time in the Word and with God through prayer, we will miss out on a lot of things because we will be going our own way. The Holy Spirit wants to lead us through the Word and through prayer. This can be supplemented by fellowship and church but that is never substituted for time alone with Jesus to know Him and be known by Him. Jesus went to the synagogue and had fellowship time but still got up the next day to spend time alone with the Father.

This does not mean that we cannot talk to the Lord when we are among other people. Prayer to the Lord can happen anytime but we need to also set a special time alone with the Lord. It is imperative and exciting to know we have prayer available.

May you find time in your schedule to spend time alone with the Father so He can guide you and lead you! Amen!

"Seeking Out Lord Inspires Today All, Remembering Yeshua!"(S.O.L.I.T.A.R.Y)/"How much importance do you give to solitary time with the Lord?

Prayer:
Dear Jesus thank you so much for the example you have set for us. You did not let the night before cloud out your time with the Father very early in the morning. You got up and while it was still dark, went out to a solitary place to pray. During that time, thank you for the wisdom you received and shared those with Simon and his companions when they came to look for you. What you have shown me is the importance of a solitary time with you Lord regardless of when we have that time. I know if you did not have your solitary time in the morning it would have been difficult for you with everyone bombarding you. Help us Oh Lord not to make our hectic schedules as excuses for not spending time with you. Help us to always make time for you Jesus. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you again for the insights you can give us. Thank you for the power of your Word and your Spirit to guide us and lead us! Thank you for supplementing that with community of believers! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!