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When was the last time you prayed?

When was the last time you had a problem, a question, a fear, a need, or a request? Likely, you have something on your mind even now.

Did you pray? Or did you move on, only giving it a quick thought and a wish?

Or maybe you can’t move on. It’s too heavy. You can feel yourself breaking apart and fighting to hold it together. But it’s hard. And it is getting harder.

Consider the way and example of Jesus Christ.

About halfway into Jesus’ three-year ministry on earth, Luke tells us he spent an entire night praying. This wasn’t something new to his story. Scripture tells us he would often go to desolate places and pray. But, this is the first time in his ministry timeline he spends such an extended amount of time talking one-on-one with the Father.

Luke 6:12 says, “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.”

Why? Why would Jesus, who was fully God, need to spend this time in prayer? Shouldn’t he already know? Shouldn’t he be strong enough, smart enough, and full enough of the Spirit to proceed without this communication with God? There is no doubt and no room for debating whether or not Jesus was fully God. He was. Paul wrote a letter to the Colossians and explained, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation. For by him, all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

And yet, Jesus prayed.

Because while Jesus was fully God, he was also fully human. Scripture tells us, “he grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and with man.” It also tells us, “he learned obedience through the things he suffered.” And moreover scripture explains how Jesus, “who, though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT).

Jesus grew. Jesus learned. Jesus emptied himself.

And so one night, somewhere in the mountains of Judea, Jesus prayed. And He prayed for hours. He prayed until he knew what He needed to know and until He felt what He needed to feel.

Do you know what happened next?

“And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:” Luke 6:13

Wow. Don’t miss it! All that time in prayer resulted in the birth of the greatest movement in the history of mankind.

Christianity.

After he called THE TWELVE up and called them out, they came down from the mountain and stood on level ground with a huge crowd of people from all over Judea, from miles and miles away. And Jesus followed up this appointment with a powerful message on the attitude, mindset, and radical love it would take to turn the world upside down in His name.

Because he had spent the night in prayer.

Prayer changes things. Talking to God and hearing from Him through His Spirit and His word makes all the difference in us and makes a difference in the world, too.

So, I’ll ask again.

When was the last time you prayed? I mean, really prayed. Did it change you? Did it result in you making a difference in the world around you? Let yourself answer honestly. Let your heart hear the woo of Jesus to come. “Come to me,” He says.

Our savior understands. Our King knows what it is like to be desperate. He has experienced the feeling of having questions and needing answers. Jesus only wanted what the Father wanted. But He needed and modeled for us what it takes to get the heart of God in us. Time. He gets it when we need some space to be alone with God. Time to think, time to ask, time to talk, and time to listen. He has lived it. And now He is seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf as we do as He did and seek the Father in prayer.

Wow. Wow. Wow!

I am so thankful for Jesus. I am so thankful to serve and have a relationship with a Lord who can sympathize with my weakness, who doesn’t condemn me for it but strengthens me through it. Who takes my prayers from His throne to the Father’s ear.

How wonderful to know that Jesus had a prayer life.

Copyright © 2022 by Jaclyn Rowe @https://www.lifeinprogressministries.org/post/a-sad-substitute-for-the-real-thing No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org.