Nougat 7

How is your prayer life? Do you need to share some real tips with us, or does it need a boost? Whatever the case, I pray today’s Holy Nougat will minister to us

“When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14‬:‭23‬ ‭CEB‬‬

He went to pray by Himself

I want to introduce a Jamaicanism to you ‘Every chamber pot haffi siddung pon it own bottom.’ It means we have to be independent and self-reliant. It doesn’t negate the need for others. Nevertheless the saying has merit, especially with regard to prayer. Sometimes we need to join a prayer meeting; other times we have to pray for and by ourselves.

Let’s consider the adult life of Jesus. The Gospels suggest that He grasped every possible moment to pray to God. He was God incarnate (in the flesh). As God, we might say He already knew all things, so why pray (and so frequently)? I propose two reasons: 1) God is totally Spirit, and by becoming human like us, though God, Jesus the human needed to keep His Spirit aligned; and 2) most of His adult life was geared at discipling.

Aligned Spirit

In His conversation with the Samaritan Woman, Jesus uttered a profound and powerful revelation: ’God is Spirit,’ He said; therefore ’those who worship God must worship God in spirit and in truth.’ (See John 4:24) Not only must our worship be genuine; but it is our spirit that connects with God to realize all the transformation needed.

If Jesus was Spirit of God existent in human flesh; and He was, then His ‘unnatural’ human nature needed to be constantly realigned to His ‘naturally’ Divine self. Moreover, we recognize that acts of healing, miracles and teaching are draining on body and spirit. Luke 8:6 tells us that Jesus felt ‘virtue’ leave His body after the bleeding woman touched Him. As she wasn’t the only one who did that (we’re told it was a common enough practice), it is worth recognizing that He needed to recharge after ministering. Particularly since Jesus is God.

Spirit to Spirit talking Spiritual (and human) things.

As an Example

In John 3, while correcting Nicodemus’ faulty theology, Jesus strengthened (rather introduced) the premise of spirit to Spirit by stating categorically that conversion is effected by God’s Spirit and not by our will. He further stated that this is essential for being a child of God (see verses 6-8). That was a Teaching Moment as Jesus offered justification for ongoing conversation with God’s Spirit.

Luke also tells us that when they saw Him praying (again), His disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus taught by example. In words and in deed (see Luke 11:1). That was the ease of His ministry: teaching us The Way to a strengthened relationship with God.

That included seeking God’s face when He needed replenishment. It also meant taking (seizing) prayer moments, like some of us take power naps. (He also took the odd power nap as needed – remember that other storm?) What we therefore learned from our Nougat is that we may opt to create our own prayer moment when we find that Life is Lifing too much.

And that’s exactly what Jesus did. He needed the space to grieve for His cousin, friend and predecessor (remember John was described as the one who prepared the way – Mark 1:3).

So, if we find-

we’re too busy to pray,

if Life is Lifing too much,

if we need realignment,

if we’re feeling distant from God,

or if we just wanna pray because we can;

Then, like Jesus

Let’s go off by ourselves to pray. Take a minute, take a while – as long as we get some quality time with YHWH!

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May all we seek be found in Christ