We are studying the prayer life of Jesus in this series. I am largely doing it chronologically, but not strictly. In Luke 5, Jesus has called His first disciples, Peter and Andrew. After calling them to be “fishers of men” (5:10), Jesus heals a man of leprosy. Then we read in 5:15-16 – “But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”
The original language reads this way: “Jesus was withdrawing and was praying.” What it connotes, as it is translated in the NASV, Jesus “often” slipped away and prayed. In other words, there were times when Jesus needed to just get away, be by Himself, and spend time praying. And He did that frequently.
You and I are complex organisms. At any given moment, male and female alike, we have thoughts and fears, hormones, and responsibilities, memories of sins we’ve committed that we can’t quite turn loose, attacks Satan has leveled at us, how much sleep we got last night, our past – even how we look right now – all of this and more is going through our minds and the minds of each other, on a constant basis.
When you know your spouse or someone else close to you is feeling the burdens of their life, it is better not to ask, “What is wrong with you?” It’s better to take some time away, as Jesus does here, and pray.
Pray that you and your spouse or friends can find the peace of mind and peace of heart that Christ gives.
Paul Holland
