Luke 5:16 (ESV) – But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

How busy is your life? Most people today are busier than people throughout history have ever been. We have more technology and tools at our hands to make life easier, but we seem to still remain busy despite these advances. We’re not busy all day preparing a meal like people may have been centuries ago. We may not struggle to chop firewood for the evening fire to stay warm overnight or to heat our stoves, but we’ve replaced these things with other activities. We run to kids’ activities, grocery stores, PTA meetings, and so many other things. 

In a world filled with busyness and full calendars, when do we make time to pray? Do we prioritize it? Are we too busy to pray? These questions are vital. If we’re honest, most of us struggle to answer those questions in ways that are great answers. Why? Because we rarely prioritize prayer in the midst of our hectic lives. But our passage today shows us that Jesus was very different than us. 

We read in Luke 5:16, “But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” 

Jesus withdrew. Those words cause me to pause and wonder why I think I’m so busy with important things that I can’t stop to pray as often as I should and need to. Jesus is the Savior of the world. He is God in the flesh on the most important mission ever embarked upon by a person. Yet He prayed. He made time to speak with His heavenly Father. I don’t really have a good excuse. 

Notice it says that Jesus withdrew to desolate places to pray. He got away from the crowds, even His close disciples. This is something we can imitate. If we want to pray more often, we need to find time alone. That may mean another room in the building or house. We don’t have to leave town to experience prayer. We just need to be intentional. But the commitment to get alone is important. 

Another aspect is Jesus’ dependence upon God. We need to recognize our need for the LORD. That would help propel us forward in prayer. The thing that we need to reflect on regularly is that we have way too many responsibilities, needs, and people we care about in our lives not to pray.

The Lord calls us to pray. He urges us to petition God because we have access through the finished work of Jesus. Commit today to withdrawing to pray.
We’ll never regret time spent in prayer.

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Reflection & Journal: 
- Why do we struggle so much with making time to pray?
- What are some helps or reminders you can give yourself to encourage more frequent prayer?
- How will today’s devotional encourage you to pray more often?

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