Kingdom Work Versus Prayer Time

Matthew 14:10, Matthew 14:13-14 and Matthew 14:19-23

Jesus had just heard sad news that his cousin, John the Baptist, had just been beheaded. Jesus must have felt grief, and thus retreated to be alone with his disciples. However, his retreat was interrupted by throngs of people needing his ministry, so he had compassion on them, put his feelings aside and ministered to them. Great miracles were performed, including the famous "Feeding of the Five Thousand" miracle every mature Christian has heard about.

Afterward, he retreated to be alone and pray. This time, he sent away the disciples too. In fact, I believe this was the reason he retreated in the first place: to pray. This time, he made sure he wouldn't be interrupted.

Jesus didn't let work, even important Kingdom Work, get in the way of his prayer time. If Jesus, who provided us an example of how to live, didn't let anything keep him from alone time with God, then I need to be the same way.

I know how it feels when I miss my alone prayer time. It feels like I'm empty somehow, like I'm missing something important. When I do make time to pray, I wonder why I don't pray more often. God always meets with me when I give him time to meet with me.

Much like physical exercise, spiritual exercise (prayer, bible study) has a negative stigma. Before I start doing either type of exercise, I feel draggy and weary. It's like I'm expecting it to be a torture session. I think all of us are preconditioned by our human nature to feel that way. But when I start, and I'm in the middle of just doing it, I wonder why I don't do it more often.