"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24, KJV).
One night before retiring, I prayed, "Lord, please wake me in the morning so that I can spend time with Thee." The next day I awoke at 5:30 a.m. and thought, I am too tired to arise at this early hour. I turned over in bed, and neglected my quiet time.
On the other hand, Jesus said to His disciples, "Come ye apart into a desert place and rest awhile." On this occasion many came and went and "they had no leisure so much as to eat" (Mark 6:31). Jesus fed this multitude, and sent His disciples away in a boat. Then He departed into a mountain to pray. Our Lord prayed many times.
Often Jesus arose long before daybreak to spend time with His Father. He prayed prior to important occasions. For example He spent the entire night in prayer, before He chose His twelve apostles,(Luke 6:12).Prior to showing His glory to them, He joined Peter, James, and John in prayer (Luke 9:28-29).
If our Lord considered prayer so important that He did it so often, how can we claim to love Him and neglect to pray? Do we pray because Jesus considered it important? He left us an example in spending much time with the Father. Moreover, He commanded us to pray. Jesus said, “Pray to thy Father which is in secret” (Matt. 6:6).
In neglecting my quiet time, I disobeyed His command. God forgave me for not rising early for my quiet time that morning. However, I cannot buy back lost time. Since then, I said, “Things do not go well when I neglect my time with Jesus. I will spend time with Him every day.
Oh, Lord, Please rekindle a flame of sacred love in my cold heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Published in Moments with God, Fall 1993, C 1993 Lynn Wallace.
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