Luke 6:12-13 Jesus Prayed All Night
“At about that time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God. The next day he summoned his disciples; from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles…” (MSG).
Jesus had spent time with His disciples on the Sabbath and had received criticism from the Pharisees and religious leaders because His disciples has picked grain on the Sabbath to eat and because He healed a man with a crippled arm on the Sabbath. Then He withdrew from His disciples and climbed a mountain to pray. Is it important that He climbed a mountain to pray? I don’t know, but I do know that it was important that Jesus, the Son of God the Father, spent the entire night in prayer. I also believe that it was important that he drew away to be by Himself to spend significant time in prayer. He knew that He had major decisions to make regarding who of His followers were to be closest to Him, which ones would share His most intimate words. I do know that there are times when Norma and I need to get away, even from each other at times, to spend special time with God. If I am willing to spend special time with my wife, it is certainly worthwhile to spend special alone time with the one who knows me better and loves me more than my wife does, my Lord Jesus. I come away refreshed when I spend extended time alone with God, when I am willing to focus on Him, His love for me, His plans for me, and the personal teaching he has for me. Norma and I also find it advantageous to spend time together with God. What we hear from Him is multiplied when we hear it together. Our discussions after our individual alone times with God and our together times with God are made more meaningful through the ways in which we individually hear His voice. We complement each other’s understanding, and we help each other remember what we have heard.
Spend time alone with God, and spend time with God and your spouse. It will be a time of blessing that lasts and lasts. Incidentally, we, as often as possible, spend our extended times with Him in the outdoors He has created.