Read
That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another; he also cast out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house, and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, ‘Everybody is looking for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came.’ And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.
Mark 1:33-39
Reflect
The sun sets, the sun rises, night falls, day begins, the rhythm of life, the cycle of creation. Here we see Jesus at the end of one day and the beginning of another. After sunset, he is surrounded by the whole town who crowd at his door in the darkness. The following morning, before the sun rises, he slips out in silence to find a quiet place to pray. When they awake, his apostles seek him out. We can infer by their greeting that the townspeople have returned that morning in great number for “everyone is looking” for him but he’s eager to move on. He has other places to visit, more people to see. There is momentum to his ministry, he is ready to move on. His life, though, moves to the rhythm of prayer which beats like a drum through everything he does. It is the source of his service, the heart of his life. What’s the rhythm to our life? What makes our ministry alive and real? What gives us momentum? Do we view prayer as an emergency measure or a painful obligation – or is it the tune to which we dance, the beating heart of our life?
Pray
God our Father, as I turn to you in prayer, may my time spent with you give momentum to my day and be the beating heart of my life. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
