Mark 1:29-39

I don’t know about you, but my sense of time has gotten all messed up during this past year of pandemic living.  It all started with the first weeks of shutdown, when we all basically stayed at home, not working, wondering what was going to happen next.  I found myself at my wit’s end, with no worship to prepare for, no Bible study preparation either, no visits to make, no committee meetings to attend.  It was a very strange time.  And then, when I did start coming back to the church to do some work, it was still weird.  Not meeting for worship on Sundays threw my whole week off.  I didn’t know what day it was sometimes. 

Like many of you, I found myself with more time unfilled than before.  My regularly scheduled programs weren’t anymore.  There were no coffee hours, no clergy meetings, no sermon-writing days, no district gatherings, no Annual Conference to attend.  You might think that with all that time suddenly available, I might have thought to spend more time in prayer.  And I guess I did, but most of it was prayer that neither myself, nor anyone in my family, nor any of my friends or colleagues, nor any of my parishioners would catch the COVID-19 virus.  I spent a lot of time talking to God, but not much time listening.

And as I gradually began to re-learn how to do my job in this pandemic situation, my hours filled up again, maybe more than ever before.  I don’t just prepare for one worship service each week anymore; now I prepare a Zoom service and a service for the website and a service to be mailed to those who have no computer access.  I have a Bible study group again, on Zoom.  I lead worship and song at Sunapee Cove again, on Zoom.  I have district meetings again, on Zoom.  And we even had remote Annual Conference this fall, also on Zoom.  I have some weeks where I am just Zoomed out!  And now there is less time than ever before to devote to prayer.

And yet, that is what my soul is craving.  Time spent with God in prayer.  The busier things are, the more demands on our time, the more stresses in our lives, the more we need time along with God.  And yet, the busier we are, the more demands there are on our time, the more we feel the stresses of life, the less time we seem to be able to find to spend with God in prayer.  We feel like there are just not enough hours in the day.  There is always something else, something more, that needs to get done.

When life gets like that, whether or not there is a pandemic going on, I think about this passage from Mark 1.  Here we find a pattern that Jesus set for his life.  And it is a pretty good pattern for our lives, as well.

We read in verse 29 that they were leaving the synagogue.  Jesus spent time at the synagogue on the Sabbath.  Jesus felt that corporate worship was important.  When people of faith gather – whether in person or via Zoom or some other means – something significant happens.  We remember that we are not alone trying to live out our faith in a world that can seem hostile to it.  We remember that there are others who are also struggling to put their faith into practice every day.  And we also remember that there are others who are willing to share our joys and burdens with us, just as we share theirs.  We laugh with each other, we eat together, and we cry together.  We join our hearts and our spirits together in prayer.  We teach our children the basics of our faith and we continue to nurture our own spiritual growth.  It is important to gather as a community of faith.

Next, Jesus spent time healing the sick.  He saw people in need, and he acted to meet their needs.  And we are called to do the same thing.  It isn’t enough to believe in Jesus; we also have to follow the example of Jesus.  We are supposed to look around us and see where there are needs and then work to do something about them.  Maybe that is feeding the hungry; there are certainly more demands on our food banks these days, so any donations are greatly appreciated.  It might be helping to provide clean water to those in other countries who do not have access to it.  It may be collecting clothes to distribute to the homeless.  Or volunteering to work in a homeless shelter.  It may be working as a tutor for children who struggle with their schoolwork.  There are so many ways that we can serve other people.

We also spend time in our regular work, whatever that is.  Some of you have jobs that you go to every day.  Others are retired and have a different set of responsibilities and obligations through volunteering.  Some are stay-at-home moms, or grandparents who take care of their grandchildren while their parents work.  Whatever your job may be, we are supposed to do a good day’s work.  We should do our work in such a way that people can see our faith.  We should do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s wage.  We should give our job the best effort and do the best we can at it.  Even as a student, I remember my dad telling me to just do my best, that is all anyone can expect of you.  We should do our best work, whatever our work may be.

Then Jesus took time to withdraw to a solitary place and pray.  Wow.  Think about that for a minute.  Jesus – God the Son – felt the need to spend time in conversation with God the Father.  He needed that time in the same way that we need that time.  Jesus needed to share with God what was going on in his life, he needed to share his concerns for others and for himself.  And Jesus needed to listen to God speak to him, to let him know what his will for his Son was, to give him strength and encouragement and comfort.  Jesus needed that connection, that communion, with a power greater than himself as a limited human being.

If Jesus needed time in prayer, then how much more do we need it?  We, who are so much more human than Jesus.  We, who on top of needing to share our concerns with God and hear God’s words of guidance and encouragement and comfort, also need to confess our sins and hear God’s words of grace and forgiveness.  We, who need to find strength and courage to face each day.  We need to make time for God.

Jesus made time for God in the only way he could: he got up before it was even light so that he would be able to be alone and pray.  I know many people who get up before the sun in order to find time for prayer and Bible study.  They are morning people.  I am not.  I can’t get up early.  And if I closed my eyes in prayer at 6:00 AM, I would surely fall asleep again.  But I do try to make that time as early in the morning as possible.  I usually set aside that time when I first get to my office for prayer and journaling and Bible study.  I take about an hour a day for this important time.  Some people spend more time, others spend less.  Some people use devotional books, others just read scripture or some other inspirational book.  Some people write down their prayers.  Others pray out loud or in silence.  I tend to light a candle, because its scent helps keep me focused when I am praying, so that my mind doesn’t wander so much.  I also hold a prayer cross for the same reason. 

That time first thing in the workday will not work for most people.  You will have to find a time that works best for you.  It may be in the early morning, before you leave home.  It may be after lunch, or in the evening.  Whatever time you choose, try to find a time that you can be consistent.  And put that time on your schedule, just like any other appointment.  It will remind you that this time with God is important, just as important as any other meeting or activity. 

When we make time for God, we find, like Jesus, that we are then given the energy to get back to the daily challenges and tasks.  We discover what it is that God wants us to do, and we are given the strength to do it.  We feel the peace of knowing that we have been in the presence of God and the joy that comes from knowing how much God loves us.  We are able to stay focused on the priorities and jobs ahead of us that day and in the coming week.  And we remember what our most important priority really is: our faith.

It may seem really basic and maybe very obvious that it is important to make time for God in your life.  And in some ways, I guess it sounds simple.  But I think we all know that in practice it isn’t always that easy.  Things get in the way.  We face obstacles to our plans.  And we don’t always have the persistence to stick with it.  But when we do, our lives are more ordered, more disciplined, and more in line with the example of Jesus.

I want to challenge you, if you don’t already have a time carved out of your day to spend with God in prayer, to try and do that this week.  Think about what time would work best for you.  Think about what place in your home or office you can be alone in relative quiet.  Decide whether you are going to speak your prayers aloud or in silence or write them down.  Will you also do Bible study during this time?  Will you use a candle or other object to help you stay focused?  Prepare a space and then use it.  I know that you will find refreshment for your soul if you make time for God on a regular basis.