Taking Time to Pray...

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a deserted place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)

There it is, a tiny little verse, stuck in the middle of Jesus' powerful ministry. Mark, Chapter 1, begins with a bang. Jesus is announced, baptized, thrown into the desert to be tempted, recruits some disciples, amazes the crowds, casts out demons, does a good bit of healing, and oh yeah... right in the middle of all that, he takes time to pray.

I have to say Jesus really impresses me in this verse. I HATE getting up in the morning when it is still dark. I think I would never do that "just to pray!"

But, then I realize that this verse is very intentionally placed in the chapter, to remind us that the times when we have the least amount of time to pray, are often the times that we need it the most.

Jesus shows us in this passage, just how important it is to take time to pray, especially in busy moments. And, even though the idea of getting up in the morning sends chills down my spine, I love the idea of taking that extra time to spend with God in a deserted place. In college, I learned to take R.O.S's or Retreats of Silence. I would go find a deserted place in a park or even an empty part of campus. I'd sit with my Bible and my journal and pour out my heart to God. I have continued this practice since college and find it to be one of the most restoring things I can do for myself.

So, the questions for you this week are...
What do you do to take time to pray?
Where is your "deserted place?"
When is the best time for you to go there?
How can we best encourage one another to go to that "deserted place" on a regular basis?