This devotional by Justin Morton
Good morning and welcome to our daily walk.
Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/25hcph
There are times in our lives when we find ourselves in critical moments. Many times when we find ourselves in these moments, we are unsure about what we need to do. We may even feel that we have nowhere to turn for help and guidance during these critical times. Jesus often found himself in critical moments just like you and me. It is through His example of handling these moments that we learn what we should do in similar situations. When Jesus found himself in critical moments, Jesus would stop and pray.
Prayer was an important part of the life of Jesus. In fact, most of the times we read about Jesus, He is praying. One of the critical moments in His life was when He was choosing the apostles. Jesus did not take this decision lightly. He chose to spend all night in prayer before choosing these men who would be sent with a special commission (Lk. 6:12-13). Why did He do such a thing? He was the Son of God. He should not have had to spend that amount of time in prayer about a decision. The reason He did was because Jesus knew the importance of including God in His decisions. Thus, He decided to spend the entire night talking with His father before He made that important decision.
Many times in our lives when faced with critical decisions, we only think about ourselves and often times do not consider the possibility of prayer. Jesus teaches us that we should be people who spend time in prayer before an important decision must be made. Many times we fail to consult with God and the decisions we make have a major impact on the rest of our lives. It is of great value to pray before we make decisions. During these decisions we should ask God to help us make the best and most godly decisions possible.
Another time we see Jesus praying is before the cross in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk. 22:39-46). Jesus understood what His purpose was on earth. He understood that His mission was to come to this earth to set an example for us to follow (1 Pet. 2:21), to seek and save the lost (Lk. 19:10), and to go to the cross and lay down His life (Jn. 10:17-18). Although Jesus understood His mission, that did not mean it was going to be an easy mission. Just hours before He was going to give up His life for you and me, He prayed to God to remove this cup if there was any other way. Jesus did not want to die that painful death. Yet, when closing His prayer, He said, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Lk. 22:42).
Even in the midst of a critical moment in His life, Jesus prayed asking that the Father’s will be done above His own. What a great example that is for you and me today. It is of value for us to pray that God’s will be done above all else. After all, God knows what is best!
Of all the prayers that Jesus prayed, the most familiar may be when He prayed on the cross (Lk. 23:34; 46). While hanging there in front of those who wanted Him dead, Jesus, having the power to call twelve legions of angels and to cast himself down (Matt. 25:53; Jn. 10:17-18), chose to pray instead. During the most critical moment of His life, Jesus chose to do what he had done so many times before: pray to the Father. Whenever Jesus found himself in those critical moments, He took time to pray, no matter what the situation was.
What about you? When you find yourself having to make an important decision, what do you do? When you find yourself in those unfamiliar and critical moments, what do you do? When you are unsure where to turn for help, what do you do? When you want to stop and give up, what do you do? Do you pray?
Praying is something that we are called to do. Paul said, “Pray without ceasing”
(1 Thess. 5:17). Prayer is an opportunity for us to speak to our heavenly Father. Prayer is a chance for us to lay our burdens down at His feet. Prayer should be an important part of our lives. James tells us, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jam. 5:16). During those critical moments in life, do you pray? It’s of great value to always include God in our decisions.
Thought of the Day: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go.” - Abraham Lincoln
May God bless you in your daily walk!
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