Daily Manna – February 11, 2016
Topic: From the beginning it was not so 85
Scripture: Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” (Luke 23:34)
Note: While on earth, Jesus often sought time to be alone with God (Mark 1:35, 6:46, Luke 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 22:41-42). When Jesus was enjoying solitary fellowship with God in prayer, his disciples would either be asleep or engaged in some activities of a sort. It was therefore no wonder when the three inner core disciples were caught on three separate occasions sleeping at the most critical time in the life of Jesus, for that had been their stock in trade so far.
Time alone with God is essential to the spiritual well-being of every believer. Very often, like the disciples of Jesus, we have misconstrued christian activities, churchianity or para-church routines with personal time spent with God. Fellowship with fellow brethren is nontheless encouraged as expected of every believer. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb 10:25).
No spiritual activity is an adequate replacement for personal time spent with God. Inspite of the anointing upon Jesus’ life, the heavenly confirmation of his Sonship and calling, his superiority over John the Baptist, Moses and Elijah, the continual flow of God’s power and wisdom in his ministry, the manifestation of unparalleled miracles, healings and deliverance of the oppressed, Jesus never deluded himself into self-sufficiency, always deferring to the Father as the source of his anointing and wisdom, squeezing time to be alone with the Father.
Food for thought: The lack of desire for solitary prayer to our heavenly Father, is an unmistakable sign that the spiritual life within us is in a process of decline.
Declaration: And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke 18:1)
© Author: Rev Fred Aboe
