Watch and Pray
Quiet Time-Watch and Pray
“Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).
Do you have difficulty carving out a quiet time with the Lord every day? Am I the only one? If you spend time with Jesus daily, is it at the same time of the day? Is it in the same place all the time? How do you spend your quiet time?
Gaining strength for ministry
Jesus slipped away in His off hours to spend time with His Father. For Jesus this was after dark and before daybreak. During these times of refreshing, He received direction for the upcoming day. While He soaked spiritually like a sponge, He absorbed strength for ministry.
After John the Baptist was beheaded, someone was kind enough to tell Jesus about it. Upon hearing of it, Jesus sought out a desert place.
Sometimes crowded by other things
Although He wanted to spend time praying, that quiet time had to be postponed. The crowd who so enjoyed being near Him wouldn’t allow privacy. They had followed Jesus and His disciples to this desert place.
Never missing a beat, Jesus with compassion taught them, healed their sick, and even fed them dinner. Now Jesus escaped to the mountain for some time alone with His Father (Matthew 14:1-33; Mark 6:14-46; Luke 9:7-17; John 6:1-15).
Guidance in the hardest moments of life
Close to the end of His life on earth, Jesus agonized in His Father’s presence. Humanly He wanted to bypass the excruciating ordeal ahead of Him. Because of this prayer time Jesus did not snap under the weight of His tremendous burden. He yielded to His Father’s will for His life (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46).
It is in the worst of times we benefit the most from having spent time with Jesus alone on a daily or frequent basis.
To ready ourselves for the worst possible scenario we might face, we need to draw close to God habitually. In my case, as I work on strengthening my walk with Jesus, I need/want several items.
Preparation for quiet time
I need a quiet place, my Bible, some free time and a receptive heart. My intention is to have a schedule for Bible reading, a hymnbook, a notebook, and a pencil and eraser. I am always improving my habit by use and practice.
I don’t have my quiet time in the same place every day. Nor do I have it at the same time. Nor do I spend a formal quiet time with Jesus every single day. I have learned not to get stressed by my lack of perfection on this issue.
That said, I do spend time with Jesus all day long wherever I go, whatever I am busy doing. I strive to have a receptive heart of longing to hear the voice of Jesus in my innermost thoughts at all times.
Prayer alone leaves me hungry
What I have discovered is my prayers “on the wing” during the day are insufficient to meet my daily spiritual needs. I need something requiring more discipline. Prayers alone leave me hungry.
As I read my Bible, doing so becomes God’s Word for my day. Having a plan for Bible reading keeps me interested in continuing the program for the whole year. After my Bible consumption in my quiet time session, writing something down in my notebook enhances my spiritual digestion.
As we draw near to Jesus today, may we read our Bible, sing praise to God, find direction for our day, and draw on His strength to be true to Him. It is so much easier to prepare ahead of time. Jesus gave a word to the wise in heart. “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).
Shirley Logsdon
Reading additional post by Freda Reynolds
https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2015/10/16/surprised-by-joy/
https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2015/10/16/surprised-by-joy/
