Key scripture – “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

How do you get refueled? When our cars run low on fuel, we simply drop by the local gas station to get more fuel. When our bodies are hungry, we feed them. But how do you refuel your spiritual life? You can learn from the best when we look at what Jesus modeled in His life.

When you read the New Testament you see that Jesus had a very demanding schedule. He traveled from town to town, often walking many miles between the towns and He spent a lot of time with people.

The day before the key scripture, Mark 1:35, was recorded, Jesus had a full day of ministry healing the sick, delivering people from demons and walking to different cities. (Mark 1:29-37). After all of that, the next morning, Jesus got up before the sun rose and went to pray and to be alone with God.

When Jesus was on earth, He was fully man. Everything He did was based upon receiving specific directions and power from His Father. He was not operating as God, but as a human being with the same limitations you and I have, and Jesus knew one of the key ways to refuel His mind, body and spirit was by spending time in prayer with His Heavenly Father.

This is a critical discipline for every follower of Jesus if you expect to have power and victory in your Christian walk. We each need to find a solitary place to focus upon the Lord, His Word, and to hear His input and His plans for our lives.

Your moments of solitude with God are to be treasured, not neglected. Regardless of whether or not you feel comfortable “being still,” purposely make plans to spend time with the Lord in prayer. They are precious moments. If this is not a part of your daily experience, why not start today with thirty (30) minutes of focused time reading the Word of God, and in prayer, talking to and praising your Heavenly Father. I guarantee that you will be encouraged with the new spiritual focus that you have when you make this a priority in your life.

You need to understand that to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Martin Luther

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, it is so amazing to me that You, The Maker of Heaven and Earth, The Lord God Almighty, love to spend time with me. Father, I bow before You and worship and praise You. I want to do Your Will, I want to spend time with You in Your Word and in prayer. I want to fulfill the plans and purpose that You have for me, not mine. Father, help me to number my days and to always remember that my life is a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Teach me to do Your Will today and every day that I have remaining on this earth so that I bring glory to Your Name. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.