I must soon complete these “Prayer” Studies.
But our Lord is such a precious Example of the exercise!
He found in prayer, in talking to His Father, two great Qualities, two great Character Traits.
The first of which was … great strength! Great refreshment, as I earlier said … perennial renewal!
Yes, Jesus (physically speaking) did tire. John 4:6 comes to mind. “Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, BEING WEARIED with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.” The capitalized verb means “exhausted.”
Once, during a storm, Jesus slept, that worn out I suggest! Mark 4:38 relates: “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, ASLEEP ON A PILLOW: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?”
But Jesus, the incessant man of Prayer, found such robust ability to continue serving His Father … via Prayer! As He taught in Luke 18:1. “Men ought always to pray, and NOT TO FAINT.” Wow! The one activity (praying) dispelling the other (faintness)!
Then once, when the Disciples were inadequate (without strength) to do a certain task, our Lord intervened and did the job! Saying, “This kind goeth not out but by PRAYER and fasting.” Matthew 17:21, prayer again equipped Him for a hard, humanly impossible job!
YES, FOR JESUS, PRAYER MEANT POWER!
STAMINA!
FAITHFULNESS!
Then the second side effect of prayer …
Namely … radiance!
“Radiance of spirit,” one Preacher pronounced.
Like Moses, whose face shined so did our Lord’s! Thing Mount of Transfiguration … when He was praying nonetheless! “And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.” Then it happened … “And as he prayed, THE FASHION OF HIS COUNTENANCE WAS ALTERED, and his raiment was white and glistering.” Luke 9:29-30, praying and glowing!
Children loved to be near Him, near our Saviour! Because, I think, He was so very pleasant, radiant! Mark 10: 13 succinctly says: “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them.” What loving kindness is implied here!
Furthermore, quite often Jesus counseled others: “Be of good cheer!” How could He honestly do so if He were not a Man of Cheer?
And we are told Jesus “delighted” to do certain things, His Father’s Will being primary! That implied radiance of countenance, delighting! Jesus to His Father, prophetically: “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:8
No wonder He preached, taught, so much about “blessedness!” The Greek word for “blessed” means “happy” too. His Prayer Life ignited such joy within His Soul!
I think Luke 10:21 may be typical of our Lord: “In that hour Jesus REJOICED IN SPIRIT, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Man of great joy … because He prayed so!
Even on the Cross … “Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2, amazing!
Jesus prayed, as a lifestyle.
And was always STRONG.
And was always RAIDANT.
So should we pray … likely with the same results!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell