Mark 1:35-37
Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
Matthew 1:22-25
Our First Christmas
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Jesus often prayed in solitary places...He often prayed early in the morning...He, I believe, always got His pray time in...
Around the holidays, it sometimes seems to be rushed and stressful times...We know that rushing around can be the cause of stress...And it seems that the holiday season is stressful for many other reasons, also...Stress, and holiday stress affects our health both mentally and physically...I really do not think Jesus wanted His birthday to be a stressful time for families...I think He wanted His Birthday, to be devoted to His birth and a complete focus on His Father...But it seems often we take our minds, our hearts, and our thoughts off of Him and onto something else...
Jesus, in my opinion, did so much in three years that we read about Him in the gospels, and yet has been a part of our history for over two thousand years...Yet, when I read the gospels and realize all He did, I do not feel Him or see Him described as rushed...I think, if and when He did get rushed, He would go to a solitary place and pray to His Father...In this solitary place He would gather His thoughts with God...I think in this solitary place He was completely focused on His Father...I, also think, we should try to have a solitary place where we can go, and get our thoughts together with our Father, both when we are rushed, and even when we are not, and share what we need to share with Him...And in that solitary place, thank Him often for His Son, and the birth of His Son on the day, we call Christmas...
On Jesus' birthday the world should stop...The world should not stop for people getting stressed...It should not stop, because there are many people coming over, and everything needs to be orderly and in place...The world should not stop so the stores can be filled and rushed...It should not stop for me wanting a certain gift on His birthday...The world should stop and give praise to a Boy who was born in a manger...It should stop for His gracious Father, sending a Son that died for us and our sins...
Our first Christmas was when a Divine, little Baby Boy was born...That is not a day or time for stress...That is a day for rejoicing...