Make an Appointment With God
“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” —Mark 1:35 (KJV)
REFLECTION
We make appointments for the things we consider important.
We schedule meetings, medical visits, business commitments, family activities, and countless other responsibilities.
We put them on our calendars because we do not want to forget them.
But what about our appointments with God?
Too often, prayer receives whatever time remains after everything else has claimed our attention.
We intend to pray.
We want to pray.
We even recognize that we need to pray.
But somehow the day fills up, responsibilities multiply, and our intended time with God is postponed.
Mark gives us a remarkable glimpse into the prayer life of Jesus.
After a demanding day of teaching, healing, and ministering to people, Jesus rose early the following morning and went to a solitary place to pray.
Notice that Jesus did not wait until life became less demanding.
He made time for communion with His Father in the midst of a demanding life.
If Jesus recognized the necessity of intentional communion with His Father, how much more do we need it?
Prayer was not an interruption to His ministry. Prayer was integral to His life and ministry.
And there is something else worth noticing.
Jesus went to a solitary place.
He deliberately stepped away from the noise, the crowds, the expectations, and the demands.
Not because people were unimportant, but because communion with His Father was indispensable.
We live in a world filled with distractions.
Our phones demand attention. Responsibilities compete for our time. Even good and necessary activities can crowd out the most important relationship in our lives.
And unless we deliberately make room for God, we may discover that everything else has found a place on our calendars except Him.
But scheduling time with God is not about turning prayer into another obligation.
It is about recognizing the privilege of communion.
We do not make appointments with God because He is reluctant to meet with us.
We make appointments with God because we do not want to miss the opportunity to be with Him.
And remember, the purpose of the appointment is not simply to complete a devotional exercise.
It is to cultivate a relationship.
There may be mornings when we have much to say. Other mornings when we need to listen. And sometimes we may simply sit quietly in His presence.
The important thing is that we show up.
Over time, these intentional appointments can become something more than scheduled moments.
They can become the foundation of a life lived in continual awareness of God's presence.
What begins as an appointment can grow into a way of life.
PRAYER
Father, I thank You for the privilege of spending time in Your presence. Forgive me for allowing the demands and distractions of life to crowd out communion with You. Help me to become intentional about making time for prayer. Teach me not merely to speak to You, but to listen, to wait, and to enjoy Your presence. May my appointed moments with You deepen into an abiding relationship that shapes every part of my day. In Jesus' name, amen.
JOURNAL PROMPT
Make an appointment with God.
Choose a specific time and place where you can meet with Him without unnecessary interruptions.
Begin with ten or fifteen minutes if that is manageable.
During this time, resist the temptation to rush through a list of requests.
Read a short passage of Scripture. Speak honestly with God. Spend a few moments in silence, reflecting on His presence and what you have read.
Then consider this question:
What would need to change in my daily routine for communion with God to become a priority rather than an afterthought?
Put tomorrow's appointment on your calendar before the day ends.
Carry This With You: I do not find time for God. I make time to be with Him.