Mark 1:35-42
35 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. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Prayer is an essential discipline in a Christian’s life. It is in prayer we get to speak to God and listen as God speaks to us. Jesus made it a habit to wake up early in the morning to pray. He knew he needed the time with God as He would spend the whole day ministering and working.
While he was praying, an interesting conversation came up with his disciples. They were looking for him because everyone in that town where he was in was looking for him. But look at how Jesus responded. He stood up and said, “let us go to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”
Jesus did not go to the crowd who were looking for him. He knew he was supposed to be in the next town. Could it be that during his time with God, God told him to move to the next town already? How many seemingly “mundane” decisions do we make every day that could change how our day could go because God directed us to do so. Jesus was sensitive to the will of the Father. He listened and He obeyed even when in the human eye, he should have ministered more in the town where he was in.
40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
One of his divine appointment was with a leper. Moved with pity, Jesus healed this leper. I love how the Scripture told us that Jesus moved in pity. It reminds me of how ministry must be done. As much as we move in the power of the Holy Spirit to minister, we must never forget to feel what the people are feeling.
Jesus had empathy. He loved the people He ministered to. We must ask the Lord to develop the heart of love in us as we engage people with the gospel. Lord, may it never be business as usual for us.