Life In Christ

Chapter 1

Jesus Is Our Model

Come with me into the Scriptures and see, with your mind’s eye, the devotional life of Jesus. Watch Him as He rises early in the morning before the busyness of the day got started. He walks out into the quiet stillness of the early morning and finds a place of solitude to pray to His Father. The Gospel of Mark captures the scene very well. “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35). Jesus began His day with prayer. Before He engaged in the overwhelming demands of His day, He spent quality time with the Father.

It was in a solitary place that was more than likely a quiet location. This quiet place where Jesus often prayed to the Fa-ther was often in nature. “And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray” (Mark 6:46). Again the Scriptures say, “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

He not only prayed early in the morning, but He also prayed at night. He prayed with such intensity that the Bible records He once prayed all night. “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12).

Those moments with His Father must have been so pre-cious to Him. His connection with His Father was so close that His will was surrendered to and bound up with the Fa-ther’s will. So much so that when He faced the most crucial moment in His life and ministry, He could present His request honestly, but still pray for His Father’s will to be done. “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, say-ing, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will’” (Matthew 26:39).