A Great Reason to Pray

Scripture — Mark 1:35 (NRSV)

In the morning, while it was still very dark, [Jesus] got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.

Devotion

Most Christians I know sometimes struggle with prayer. Oh, to be sure, among my friends are those who faithfully pray each day. Some even spend an hour or more in intercession for others. But these folks are the exceptions to the rule. The rule, it seems to me, is that we often don’t find it easy to pray.

There are lots of reasons for our struggle with prayer. The fact that we’re talking to a God whom we cannot physically see or hear makes prayer rather odd. Because so many of us are not part of an intentional Christian community, we don’t have the support that comes from praying daily with others. Then there’s the fact that our lives are so busy—overly busy, actually. Sustained prayer is one of those things that gets squeezed out by work, parenting, serving at church, hanging out with friends, doing chores around the house, and a host of other life-filling activities.

Then we read Mark 1:35: “In the morning, while it was still very dark, [Jesus] got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” We get the sense from this verse that what Jesus did wasn’t unusual for him. This sense is confirmed in Luke 5:16, where it says that Jesus “But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.” Implied is the fact that Jesus would do this often. Luke 6:12 adds that, on one occasion, Jesus “spent the night in prayer to God.”

So, if we’re looking for a compelling reason to pray, here might be the best reason of all: Jesus did it . . . often. If Jesus, the unique Son of God, found it worthwhile and even essential to devote time to prayer, shouldn’t we?

I think the answer is obvious. Of course, it’s “Yes!” But if you’re one of those Christians who struggles with prayer, this question can lead to a sense of failure and shame. This is not my purpose at all in writing this devotion. Rather, I want to encourage you today with two bits of good news. First, if you are reading these words, then you surely desire to grow in your prayer life. Why else would you be reading a devotional that leads up to prayer? God is already giving you a growing desire to pray. That’s great. May that desire grow even more in the days to come.

Second, the same Jesus who regularly went out to pray is present to help you and me as we seek to imitate him. The Spirit of Jesus dwells within us and will help us if we are open and seeking. So, if you’d like to be more faithful in prayer, the starting point isn’t guilt. It isn’t rehearsing your past failures. Rather, it’s a simple request: Lord Jesus, help me to pray! If you ask, he will.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Mark 1:29–39. Rhythms of Work and Rest.