"And in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, Jesus went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him, and when they found Him, they said to Him, 'Everyone is looking for You.' But He said to them, 'Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.' (Mark 1:35-38*).
Is prayer a part of your daily schedule? As you consider your answer, exclude times when your attention is divided. Think only of the instances when you are fully focused on God. While praying at any time is a good thing, we must set aside special time and place for communion with the Lord each day.
Even though Christ is the Son of God, He understands the importance of solitude for prayer. He does nothing independently but lives in dependence on the Father. In today’s scripture passage, we do not know exactly what He prayed for. But when His disciples interrupted His morning prayer, it is evident that in communion with God the Father, the Lord Jesus received direction for that day—to go to 'other places' to preach.
Christ is the perfect example of living by the Spirit. Since we are called to walk in His steps, wouldn't it make sense to meet with God to prepare for the coming day (Psalm 5:3)? This is the time to lay our concerns at His feet, seek His guidance, trust Him for protection and provision of our needs, and intercede for others as well.
Although many things demand our time and attention, we need to strive to make prayer an integral part of our daily routine. When it becomes our priority, we will have a solid foundation for the day, no matter what it brings.
Link to the original article: https://www.intouchuk.org/read/daily-devotions/alone-with-god
* Biblical quotes are from Bible, New Translation from Original Languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013