Prayer: A Constant Necessity

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

Not only did Jesus command us to pray, but He also left us an example of prayer. Jesus was constantly praying. As He walked our planet and breathed our air as God in human form, He felt the need to be in constant communion with His Father. In fact, it was not uncommon to see Jesus praying while the disciples were sleeping.

When He fed the five thousand, He looked up toward heaven and asked God's blessing on the food. Matthew's Gospel tells us that mothers brought their children to Jesus so that He could lay His hands on them and pray for them. When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He first spoke to His Father, saying, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me" (John 11:41–42). Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come forth!"

We know that while He was in Gethsemane, He prayed, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39). As He hung on the very cross of Calvary His first statement was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). And later He prayed, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).

My point is that if Jesus felt the necessity to pray constantly, then how much more should we? If you want to grow spiritually, then prayer must be a vital and regular part of your life. Pray all the time. Pray about all things. Jesus has given us that example to follow. So we, too, need to be people of prayer.