One
of the things I admire most about our Savior is His prayer life. Rather than
fitting prayer into His busy schedule, He always made prayer His priority.
- He prayed at the start of His public ministry, even as He was being baptized. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened (Luke 3:21).
- He prayed early in the morning, at the start of the day. And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed (Mark 1:35).
- He went away from the crowds to pray. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray (Mark 6:46). But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray (Luke 5:16).
- Sometimes He prayed all night. In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God (Luke 6:12).
- He prayed before big decisions –like choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12).
- He prayed after great miracles—like Feeding the 5000. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone (Matthew 14:23).
- He prayed to bless little children. Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray... (Matthew 19:13).
- He prayed just to give thanks to His Father. At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children" (Matthew 11:25).
- On the Mount of Transfiguration, He was praying. Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray (Luke 9:28).
- The only thing the disciples ever asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1).
- He taught frequently on prayer (cf. Matthew 6:5-15), and some of His most memorable stories and parable—like the persistent widow (Luke 18:2ff) and the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:10ff)—were about prayer.
- He prayed before He left for the Garden of Gethsemane. When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you” (John 17:1).
- He prayed for all those who would believe in Him. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours (John 17:9).
- He prayed in the Garden, with great blood-drops of anguish. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:44). And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14:36).
- He prayed on the cross, and His dying breath was a prayer. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:46).
- He is still praying for His own. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25).
