When Will I Pray??

Spend an hour in prayer every morning? Not likely!

Whether you’re a teacher like me, or a busy mom, things can get hectic once school starts! God showed me something about this that has given me peace and encouragement from Matthew 14.

When Jesus heard about the beheading of John the Baptist, he wanted to get away and talk to His Father. His heart must have ached with sadness. Can you imagine how you would feel if someone you loved was treated with such cruelty? I would want to be alone.

Jesus didn’t get to be alone or pray because thousands of people had followed Him and wanted Him to heal their sick. Imagine that! Thousands of people wanting/ seeking Him/ needing Him.

All day, Jesus ministered to the people and healed their sick. When evening approached, Jesus fed all the thousands of people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

Jesus sent the disciples away in a boat and dismissed the crowds. Can you imagine how exhausted He must have been both physically and emotionally? But this was the only time He had to pray, so He went up on a mountainside by himself to talk to His Father. He stayed there until the fourth watch of the night (between 3am and 6am).

I guess I always thought that early morning was when we are supposed to pray if we’re serious about prayer and knowing Him better. But if Jesus can pray after a long day, so can we.

This is what God showed me in His Word: He will meet me in the late afternoon, in the night, or in the morning. He will speak to me when I am fresh and rested (in the morning). But He will also speak to me when I am exhausted (after a hard day at work).

So all of you teachers and busy moms, listen. If you don’t have time to pray in the morning and your prayer time is in the afternoon or evening when you are exhausted, it’s OK.  Jesus understands. Your work place is your mission field – your place to let Jesus shine. That’s important.

I have 32 students with special needs. I know what it is to be tired after work. But the Lord assures me that He is with me. I need Him everyday, all day. And He has promised to be with me.

We may have seasons of rest. But for most of us, real ministry to real people doesn’t take place in church or prayer time. It takes place when we are about our lives and our work.

I would be very happy to spend all my time in prayer, reading my Bible, and writing my blog. But the Lord has made it clear that, although that pleases Him, He wants me out on the “battlefield”, aka at work, making relationships and showing God’s love and compassion. That’s why we’re here.

With Love, 

Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

Matthew 14:3-21 NIV

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

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