Read
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Meditate
Today’s message
I like to talk about cheese bread with coffee because it reminds me how we take care of the body but forget about the soul. You eat, you get strong. And inside? Sometimes the spirit is thin, hanging by a thread. God is in love with you and wants you whole. The soul feeds on the Word, in the secret place. It’s not your fault to be busy, but it’s your responsibility to make space. I make mine. And I invite you: let’s nourish the heart in the presence of the Father.
I look at Jesus. Mark tells that He rose very early, while it was still dark, left the city, and went to pray. This is not a detail. It’s direction. The Son who knows all things chose to start with the Father. He poured out the day before God, asked for strategy, received peace. When the schedule tightened, Jesus didn’t cut prayer; He anchored deeper. If the Lord followed this path, you and I have here a simple and strong model: set aside time and go to meet the Father.
When Jesus prayed
- Very early, in solitude with the Father — devotion that sustains the day.
- Before decisions — spent the night in prayer and chose the twelve.
- In danger — while the disciples struggled in the storm.
- Seeing weakness — interceded for Peter that his faith may not fail.
- In anguish — opened his heart before the weight of the cross.
- For enemies — asked forgiveness for those who hurt him.
A life of prayer is a transformed life.
I learned to make real space: morning, lunch, or night. The time doesn’t save; the meeting saves. Sometimes you can only whisper: 'Lord, help me.' He hears and calms. And when anxiety tightens, I obey: I present everything in prayer and the peace of God guards my heart. I also pray for those who have drifted away and for those who hurt me. The natural will is to retaliate; Jesus' will is to intercede and forgive. This practice changes us from the inside.
Steps for your daily devotional
- Set aside a simple and constant place; start with minutes, but be faithful.
- Open the Bible and read softly; respond with an honest prayer.
- Pray before deciding; ask for wisdom and wait for the answer.
- Bring your anxieties one by one; give thanks while delivering.
- Intercede for a wayward one and for an enemy; forgive in Jesus' name.
I want you to remember this: a life of prayer is a transformed life. Jesus showed us the way, and the Spirit sustains every step. If no one preaches, how will they know? So, make the Word accessible and share hope. Today, choose your desolate place and go. God is already there. He knows your future, calms your storm, and steadies your steps. Rise up, meet the Father, and let the peace that surpasses understanding guard your heart and mind.
Did you know
- Mark 1 places Jesus' prayer right after an intense day of healings in Capernaum; He responds to fatigue with solitude and prayer.
- Luke 6:12-13 records that Jesus spent the whole night praying before choosing the twelve apostles.
- Abba is an Aramaic term for Father, used by Jesus to express confident intimacy with God.
Key phrases
- We need to have a devotional time, an intimacy.
- Just ask: Lord, help me. He will hear you and calm you.
- A life of prayer is a transformed life.
- If no one preaches, how will they know?
Translated from the Portuguese original.
Seek
To seek today
Go deeper
Go deeper
A oração de Jesus - Pr.Rainer Nonato
Watch