Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place,
where He prayed." Mark 1:35
What does your morning routine look like? What is the first thing you do? Turn on TV/the radio/CD ~ read the paper ~ head for the computer ~ look on facebook ~ exercise? None of those things are wrong in themselves, but have they become your first love? When you look at the routine of Jesus, the radiance of God's glory, the One who came "to serve," (Mark 10:45); what did His morning look like? In Mark it says, very early, Jesus got up, went to a quiet, solitary place and prayed. As much as He loved being around the disciples and those He came to minister to, He knew how important it was to spend time alone with God to be renewed and filled up before going out to serve.
If you recall, after being baptized by John; recognized by His Father as the beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matthew 3:13-17; 4:1-11; Mark 1:9-13). It was there He was ruthlessly tempted by Satan. Jesus responded with Truth and stopped the enemy in his tracks. Temptation comes to all of us. When we spend time in the Word, we have the tools we need to counter any attack by the enemy. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:10-11 (see also 1 Corinthians 10:13)
So often as believers (those who have put their trust in Jesus as their Savior ~ 1 John 5:11-13) we serve, or try to serve God on empty. Running throughout our day without being renewed in the Word or talking to the One who longs to give us direction for the day; whether our work is at home, in an office setting, or in our community. I love what Warren Wiersbe says, "Where did the Servant get His power? He depended on the Holy Spirit and prayer. He did not allow the demands of the work to rob Him of the time He needed to renew His strength. If the holy Son of God needed to pray, how much more do you need to pray! In the Lord's service, you cannot run on empty."
In Isaiah 40:28-31 we find the perfect prescription for renewal that works every time, because our faithful God always keeps His Word. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
* With the Word, Warren Wiersbe, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishing
