Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from Radical.net.

Mark chapter 1, verse 35, and rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark,

he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

I love this verse. In the first chapter of Mark,

especially in light of the context. As you read through this chapter, Jesus is a very busy person. In the verses right before this, he heals Simon's mother-in-law, and then people start pouring into this house where Simon and

Andrew lived, and they were sick, oppressed by demons. The whole city was gathered at the door,

and verse 34 says he healed many who were sick with various diseases he cast out many

demons so jesus is very busy at this point and then what does verse 35 say rising very early in the

morning while it was still dark he departed and went out to a desolate place and there he prayed.

Jesus knew that the priority in his day and his time was being alone with his father.

That no amount of busyness doing great things, healing people of diseases

and casting out demons, was more important than just being with his father.

And so he started his day early in the morning in a desolate place alone, just him and the

father, where he prayed. And I want to encourage you with this verse today amidst what I'm guessing

is busyness in your life. I'm guessing you have a variety of things going on

in your life. I have a variety of things going on in my life. We are busy people doing all kinds of

things and even good things. That's part of the picture here. Jesus is doing awesome things,

but he knew that far more important than anything else

was time alone with the Father in prayer. And I want to encourage you to make that your priority

today and tomorrow and the next day and the next day time alone with God concentrated time

alone with God in prayer and hearing from His Word just communing with God just you and him

nobody else around make this the priority of your life. Psalm 27,

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