Jesus constantly surprised those around him.
Pharisees were surprised by the type of people he hung out with, his disciples were shocked by the kind of people he healed, and everyone was caught off guard by the miracles he performed. After all, it's not everyday you see someone casting out demons, giving sight to the blind, or bringing the dead back to life.
Yet what is easily forgotten and equally as surprising is how often Jesus withdrew from others to pray.
In one instance, Luke describes it this way.
"Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to wilderness places and prayed.” (Luke 5:15-16)
Over and over again in the gospels we read of Jesus withdrawing to pray. Early in the morning or late at night, he’d often slip away to be alone in prayer.
And notice, it wasn’t every once in a while. He didn’t do this for an annual church retreat or when he was on a spiritual high. No, he did this frequently. Day in and day out this was a life rhythm of Jesus.
I think Jesus did this because he knew something we often forget.
Praying for strength, not from it.
Prayerful communion with God is the source of our strength, not the result of it.
We don’t commune with God the Father in prayer because we are strong people, full of faith and vitality. We commune with God the Father because we aren’t! We pray because apart from communion with Christ, we can do nothing.
Jesus himself said this.
“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4)
Jesus lived in a rhythm of personal, intimate, praying communion with God because this was the source of his power. He was able to shock the world, forgive sins, heal the blind, cast out demons, and raise the dead because he was constantly tethered to heart of his Father.
And if Jesus needed regular, intimate time alone with God in prayer, how much more do we?
Following Christ in prayer.
Consider this an opportunity to pause and evaluate.
What does your life of abiding with God look like? Where are the moments in your life where you can make a rhythm of prayer, a regular practice of solitude with our heavenly Father?
And consider this, too.
We have an incredible opportunity to commune with the maker of heaven and earth. We’ve been cleansed of our sin and freed from our bondage to enter into the inner depths of love shared between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This is your invitation to follow the pattern of our savior and bring all that you are—the good, the bad, and the ugly—before the arms of our God.
This won’t make your life easier, but it will make it all God meant it to be.
P.S. If you'd like to hear more about Jesus withdrawing to pray, check out this message from my friend, Demetrius Hicks, on this passage.