The sun crested the eastern horizon, setting the clouds aflame with magnificent shades of tangerine and citron. A warm breeze blew off the western sea, promising a hot day to come. Soon, the whole region would be abuzz with activity as people continued the great chase, sacrificing almost everything to achieve their hearts’ desires.
He had been up for several hours already; the quietness of the predawn hush a perfect backdrop for what he needed to accomplish.
He, too, had a lot on his plate and the same amount of hours to get it done as anyone else.
Some were calling him “an overnight success.” He had seemingly come out of nowhere to a position of high profile and importance. He was barely out of his twenties and already hailed as “the next big thing.”
It was hard to pin him down to just one title; he seemed to excel at so many. He had many fans and followers, each with a plan for what he should do next.
Some wanted him to run for office. He was already shaking up the political status quo, making those in leadership feel unstable enough that all their attention was commandeered. A lot of anger and fear were directed towards him, and he had even received death threats.
However, neither the encouragement nor the resistance motivated him; his impetus came from elsewhere.
Some wanted him for what he could do for them. He was an amazing communicator. He was generous with his time and talents. He cared about the plight of those who had fallen on hard times and was willing and able to give them a hand up.
But he had his own plan.
He didn’t need any leadership gurus telling him what to do; his multi-year agenda was formulated and clear and nothing short of extremely ambitious. And he was determined and confident that his plan would come to fruition.
Today was no different than most; he had specific things to accomplish. Today, he would select his key performance team. This team would be with him throughout his run, and he wanted the appropriate people on the bus. It was important, and he needed to get it right.
Consequently, he wasn’t going to waver on his proven strategy for guaranteeing that he made the right decisions.
It wasn’t a secret strategy—lots of people were aware of it—it was more like a “functionally” secret strategy, in that very few people practiced it.
He wasn’t going to waver on his proven strategy for guaranteeing that he made the right decisions.
In one of the biographies written about him, it was described this way:
“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles.” (Luke 6:12-13 NIV)
Jesus was keenly aware that the counsel and wisdom He needed for every decision and action in His life came directly from His Heavenly Father. He never hid that from anyone.
Another of His biographers noted a time when the opposing religious leaders were challenging Jesus. He responded to them:
“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (John 5:19 NIV).
And later:
“For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” (John 12:49-50 NIV)
Jesus prioritized prayer. He made it a regular practice. He “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16 NIV).
It is no wonder He was able to accomplish what He accomplished.
Even on the night before He was going to go all in on what many would say was His riskiest move of all, He was found praying. He was about to lay down His life, to die for all the people of the world. A large part of Him didn’t want to do it, but it was His prayer that reoriented Him to the will of His Father (Mark 14:36).
And because of that, we all can live!
It is no wonder He was able to accomplish what He accomplished.
How vital is it that men follow Jesus’ example?
We are faced with all kinds of challenges. I would suggest that none of us face what Jesus had to face. The race He ran was beyond what any of us will ever have to run. And yet, we still have important and demanding calls on our lives.
We have marriages that require humble, gentle, godly husbands.
We have families that need wise, strong, available dads.
We have places of employment that demand our attention, effort, skill, and knowledge.
And we are sons of the Living God, who is still involved in His mission of saving the whole world. He still chooses men to be on His team, to be focused on His goals, to be filled with His power, and to be used for His glory.
How in the world are we supposed to do all those things, to the degree of excellence we want, on our own?
I don’t know about you, but I feel lost most of the time. And, even when I am clear about what I should do, I struggle with actually carrying it out.
Jesus’ plan was to pray.
Is that our plan, too?
Will we be known as men who “often withdraw” to spend time with the Heavenly Father?
That is where our hope lies. And our Father is eager and delighted to meet with us. He loves us so much. And Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers (Hebrews 2:11).
Let us follow our Lord’s example and prioritize heartfelt prayer to the One who knows us best and loves us most.
About
