Discipline

Mark 1:35 Now in the morning, having risen long before daylight. He went out an departed to a solitary place and there He prayed.

Wow, what a beautiful picture this paints. Jesus, rising early and just praying to His Father in the quiet. I get up at 6:30 every morning and am doing my devos by 7:00 am. That’s hard enough.  I’m not a morning person.  Imagining myself getting up earlier and having the discipline to not get back into bed and just sleep for a couple more hours of sleep. So this is very convicting for me. “I’m too tired” is an excuse I use far too often.  I’m “too tired” to even pray let alone read my bible.  Does God ever tell me “You know Rachel, I’d love to talk to you right now, I really would. But I’m just too tired, I’ve had a long day ect” No! the very idea seems ridiculous.  God doesn’t keep office hours and neither should my relationship with Him. I should be willing to seek Him and pray to Him at 3:00 am if that’s what He asked of me. Not only disciplining my body to wake up earlier if He asks me but my mind and heart as well. Because I can get up earlier and pray, but it won’t mean anything if I’m not praying and reading with purpose and intention. God doesn’t want me to seek Him only when it’s convenient timing for me.  I shouldn’t be having a relationship with God and praying because it’s convenient and suits my present needs at the time. Sometimes God asks me to seek Him when it’s inconvenient.  Perhaps even purposefully to see whether or not I’m willing to drop everything and pray or read.  To seek Him all day everyday and to pray to Him intentionally. He desires for me to be willing to sacrifice everything to Him, especially my time. And understand that His timing isn’t mine.

Application: I will wake up earlier than I normally do and spend time in prayer.