“35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying. 36 Simon and his companions searched for him, 37 and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38 And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.” Mark 1:35-38 (CSB)
There is contrasting behavior of Jesus in vss. 35-39. Jesus, after initially healing many people in vss. 32-34, heads out of town early in the morning:
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying.” (vs. 35)
Jesus needed to spend time in prayer in isolation. Spending time with as many people as Jesus did in the prior verses, ministering to them, takes a toll and Jesus needed time to rejuvenate. However, when Simon and his companions found Him, he abandoned His solicitude for further ministry.
“’Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I (Jesus) have come.’” (vs. 38)
Jesus needed time of solitude in prayer so that He could effectively minister to the people He encountered.
In my own life, I find that it is necessary to take breaks form ministry in order to spend time alone with God and rejuvenate my soul. God calls the believer to cooperate with Him to bring His Kingdom to this sick and dying world. But in our humanness, we need to have periods of rest. Taking time away from ministry actually makes us more effective. Not taking this time out leads to emotional and physical stress, draining the Believer from effectiveness. Jesus gives us a model in these verses. Take intentional time with the Father, so that when the Son calls for ministry, the Believer can be fully equipped in the Spirit.
The Wandering Wesleyan 