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The Gospel of Mark is an action gospel, and Mark wastes no time describing in Mark 1.21 – 39 what any of us would say was a busy day in the life of Jesus:

• He enters Capernaum on the Sabbath and teaches in the synagogue (verses 21, 22)
• He casts out a demon in the synagogue (verses 23 – 26)
• He went to Simon’s house and healed his mother-in-law (verses 29 – 31)
• Then at sundown(!) “…they brought him all who were sick or oppressed by demons…He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons.” (verses 32 – 34)

I wonder what time he got to bed?

Yet, “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.” (Mark 1.35)

We’ve had a busy week, early show times every day, and what’s the first thing to go? Yep. Morning prayer. 

I’m challenged every time I read Mark 1.35. Or Luke 5.16, “Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”

And the immediate result of the prayer time was direction, as we read in Mark 1.36 – 38:

And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

People were clamoring for attention right where he was. He hadn’t healed all of them since verse 34 says, “He healed many who were sick…” But his Father said it was time to move on. So he moved. I’m waiting for God’s specific guidance regarding a conference in London I’ve been invited to attend, and I’m sure that if I set aside time to listen, he’ll make it clear.