The Character of Christ (9): A Man of Prayer

Jesus, during His days as a man on the earth, was a man of prayer. He was constantly in communication with God, the Father. He had an unbroken fellowship and intimacy with God. The bible makes us to understand clearly in Luke 5:16, that He often withdrew Himself from the crowd to quiet places to be alone with the Father. His prayer life was as a result of His love for the Father not an act of duty. He loves the Father so much that He couldn't bear losing touch with Him. This is the very reason why He felt a great agony on the cross at that point when the Father turned His face away from Him because He had taken our sins upon Himself and the Father couldn't behold/fellowship with sin (Hab. 1:13). That moment on the cross was the only time He ever lost fellowship with the Father which was why He cried out with a loud voice, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me" (Matt 27:46)?

Jesus was very diligent in prayer. He prayed continually; it was His lifestyle. His prayer life wasn't sporadic by any means. In the gospel according to Mark, it was recorded that, “in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35). This is an important anecdote because it gives us a clear insight into our Lord's attitude towards prayer, based on the fact that the morning that this verse refers to was the morning after a busy day teaching in the synagogue, casting out unclean spirits, healing Peter's mother in law, and a busy evening healing many who were sick with various diseases, and casting out many demons. He wasn’t lazy in prayer. He didn't neglect spending time with the Father while citing a busy schedule as an excuse. He woke up early to pray, He even prayed all night as recorded in Luke 6:12, "Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."

Jesus prayed for wisdom and revelation in His earthly ministry (John 5:30). As a man, He drew the strength and power for all the miracles He performed from the secret place of prayer and fellowship with the Father (Mark 6:45-48). He knew the Father was the source of His strength, and the place of prayer was His point of connection and also that He could do nothing once He became detached from the Father. He interceded for His twelve disciples and for souls (John 17:11, 20-21). He prayed for the will of God. He prayed fervently with honesty and reverence. He prayed with thanksgiving and praise to God, the Father (Mark 14:22, Luke 10:21). He prayed in times of anguish (Luke 22:44, Heb. 5:7).

Friends, if Jesus could have prayed, how much more we? If the very Son of God, the word of life personified, could have been so devoted to prayer, how much more we? Our aim as believers and disciples of Jesus should be to make prayer our lifestyle like our master did. Let us examine ourselves. Are you slothful in prayer? Are your prayers mainly about yourself or do you care about others? Do you really love spending time fellowshipping with the Father or do you merely endure it as a routine? Do you go to God in prayer only when you are in trouble? Are you too busy to pray (even busy doing good things)?

He said, "Men always ought to pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1)

Oh Lord, transform us into your likeness, help us to be devoted to prayer like you! Amen.