Success - Just a Prayer Away

For Monday, January 2

Success - Just a Prayer Away

Mark 1 (click to read)

35 Very early the next morning, Jesus got up and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. 36 Simon and the others started looking for him. 37 And when they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you!" 38 Jesus replied, "We must go to the nearby towns, so that I can tell the good news to those people. This is why I have come."

The story of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark starts off with a bang and a mystery. The mystery is Jesus telling people to be quiet about Him ("he would not let them speak...told him not to tell"). The bang is the collection of healings mentioned. But I think the mystery and the bang point to something more important to Jesus -- the "this is why I have come." After these healing events, Jesus was clearly massively popular (in a very local sense) - everyone (who knew) was looking for Him. It sure would have been tempting to call this a success and develop a base there. But Jesus went to pray - to talk with God about what had happened and consider next steps, to commune with the Spirit to reflect on what was good and what needed next steps, to reflect on His options and select some goals. In opposite action, how many times have I said "wow, that worked - that must be it" and missed a chance for the next good move. And it was because I did not pray, reflect, let options arise and raise my sites a bit. I want this year to be a year of reflecting my way to better goals and great options. I must take time for this focus, or it just simply will not happen.

Lord - I fully believe You want to lead me and all who follow You into a life of increasing impact, "success", joy, fulfillment. So I will take more time this year, and more focus to hear from You. I will not settle for the small success with the thing You want for me to do is just a prayer away.

(You can download the Pathway 2012 Bible reading list here.)