You know the jingle: “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.”
Folgers built its brand by depicting its coffee, or at least its aroma, as essential to any memorable morning routine. To this day, there are both Folgers drinkers and coffee drinkers in general who couldn’t imagine a morning routine without coffee.
What’s your morning routine? How do you start your day?
‘Glimpse of Jesus’ morning routine’
I was taken aback recently by a Bible passage that many of us have read or taught. In Mark 1:35, we see a glimpse of Jesus’ morning routine. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place; and there, He was praying.”
After a long day of ministry in Capernaum that stretched well into the night at Peter’s house, what was the best part of waking up for Jesus? What mattered most? Time with God the Father. Jesus got up early and prayed, seeking the Father and hearing from Him through prayer.
It seems if anyone could get a pass on building this discipline into their life it would be Jesus. After all, He is God. But what does Jesus’ example teach us about the importance of prayer in our lives?
First, prayer must be our daily priority. Prayer easily gets crowded out by distraction, busyness, or other priorities. In Mark 1:36–37, the disciples are looking for Jesus because the crowds returned with more ministry needs. Peter almost rebukes Jesus, saying, “What are you doing out here by yourself praying? Everyone is looking for You!” Yet for Jesus, time with the Father was more important even than the crowds.
It’s easy to look at the calendar and think we don’t have time to pray. The reformer Martin Luther reportedly said, “I have so much to do today that I can’t help but begin with three hours in prayer.” Luther couldn’t imagine engaging the day without prayer. More importantly, neither could Jesus. Prayer must be our priority as well.
Secondly, prayer shapes us for mission. Jesus taught us to submit to the will of the father in prayer (Matthew 6:10). Jesus modeled this in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36). Prayer is not attempting to bend God’s will to our agendas but submitting to Him that He might bend our wills to His agenda.
In Mark 1, Jesus had a decision to make. Go back to the crowds of Capernaum or move on to surrounding towns and villages to preach? Following His prayer time, He responded to Peter’s rebuke with conviction, “Let’s go on … that I may preach there too” (Mark 1:38). Jesus knew what He needed to do next after seeking the Father in prayer.
What if we made a daily practice of praying through our schedules for the day, asking for and submitting to the Father’s leadership as we navigate the day ahead?
Finally, prayer expresses dependence on the Father. Jesus said in John 5:19, “The Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing.”
Jesus exemplifies what dependence on the Father looks like.
One of my mentors, Chuck Lawless, recently asked this challenging question. “Does my prayer life reflect independence or dependence on God?” We may live with the intention to depend on God, but we often act independently of Him.
Ask, does your prayer life reflect a desire to experience a movement of God in your life, and in the lives of your church, community and beyond? What could happen if Baptists collectively and passionately followed Jesus’ example and started the day in prayer seeking the Father?
As Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work!”
Prayer is essential to the depth of our Christian walk. The actual best part of waking up is spending time talking with our Heavenly Father. And He won’t mind if you bring your coffee.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jay Hardwick and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
