PARENTS: Can you find time to PRAY? - Part I

As parents, do you ever feel like there's too much to do, and too little time? Do you often feel stressed out, wondering how you'll ever accomplish all that needs to get done? As Christian moms and dads, we need to stop a second and take a time-management lesson from our Lord Jesus.

Have you ever stopped to consider about how much He did, in such a short time?

Jesus lived just thirty-three years on earth, and spent only three years in ministry.

In this short time, Jesus had to provide God's only way of salvation for all of humanity; He had to establish His training program (through scriptural teaching and personal example) to explain God's kingdom to the whole world; and He had to equip His ground-level leaders (in deep theology and practical life skills) for future global impact. Yet even with such a limited time allotment and such an eternally important job, Jesus was never rushed or stressed-out. In spite of all He needed to do, Jesus took time to pray.

God's perspective is so much different than ours.

Jesus took thirty years to live as a simple carpenter, and to simply "be" with His Heavenly Father. Jesus was totally perfect and totally God-in-the-Flesh, yet throughout His life He took time to seek God's direction and guidance. Even when everyone else was busy and multitudes had pressing needs, Jesus took time to be quiet and to get away, and to pray.

Mark 1:35-38 says, "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He [Jesus] went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for you."

But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."

Instead of being directed by the overwhelming needs of the moment, Jesus took time to pray in a solitary place (and He didn't even tell His disciples where He was going). After this personal prayer time, Jesus knew the Heavenly Father's perfect direction for that day, and He did exactly what needed to be done.

If prayer was that important to Jesus, it should be important to us!