Good morning people who recognise where Jesus established His spiritual authority.

Mark 1:35 NIV Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

We have been looking at the incredible miracles that Jesus performed. Many people were healed, and others were delivered. With a word, life flowed from Jesus to others.

But there was a key, and that key was prayer.

Jesus prayed. Jesus prayed often and Jesus prayed for long periods of time. Jesus rose early to pray, and Jesus went off by Himself to pray.

And prayer was the one thing that the disciples of Jesus asked Him to teach them.

Why?

Because they knew that all of the miracles could be traced back to the prayer life of their Teacher. Jesus prayed and things happened.

I can’t imagine how busy Jesus’ life must have been with many demands on Him constantly from many people. If anyone could be excused for running out of time to pray, it would have been Jesus.

Yet Jesus rose up early, while it was still dark, and He went out by Himself to pray. In other scriptures, we are told that there were times that Jesus was out praying all night.

The simple inescapable truth today is this: Jesus valued prayer as His highest priority. Prayer was Jesus’ opportunity to be with His Father, both to share His heart with His Father, and to hear His Father’s heart for Him. Prayer was essential to the life and ministry of Jesus.

Prayer is to be our greatest priority too.

Lord, teach us to pray.