#DailyDevotion Even Jesus Spends Time In Prayer
Luk 9:28-32 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. (29) And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. (30) And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, (31) who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (32) Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.
Does it ever amaze you that Jesus gets alone often to pray? Jesus goes up on the mountain top with three of his disciples to pray. The Lord of Creation does this. Consider these passages from Luke:
(Luk 6:12) In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. (Luk 9:28) Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. (Luk 11:1) 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.” (Luk 3:21) Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, (Luk 9:18) Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
What does it mean if Jesus, who is God, spends time in prayer with God praying? How much more so should you and I poor miserable sinners spend time in prayer? Perhaps it is because we are poor miserable sinners that we are afraid to come to God in prayer. However it is because of this that our prayers are even more necessary for us. If the Son of Man needs to pray, we need to do so even more.
Jesus himself tells us that we need to pray, (Luk 18:1) “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” His disciples not knowing for sure how to pray after Jesus finishes praying, (Luk 11:1) “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.’” Then he teaches them what we call the Lord’s Prayer. We are called to pray that and pray like that. Jesus also says, (Luk 21:36) “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Now Jesus was no doubt praying about his completing his mission. The Father sends to him Moses and Elijah. They talk to him about his coming departure, i.e. his death by crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. His departure in the Greek is Exodus which makes it interesting because we know Moses led the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt into the Promised Land and Moses now makes it into the land of Israel. Jesus’ exodus will begin him instituting the New Covenant/Testament in his body and blood. He will be the Passover lamb whose blood will cover us that the angel of death may Passover us as well. Jesus’ blood, his sacrifice, will fulfill all the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. As Jesus led the Israelites in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, now he leads us in his glory to the New Heavens and New Earth. Jesus’ exodus becomes our exodus as we are baptized into his death and resurrection.
While we wait for our exodus from this veil of tears and enter the eternal Promised Land in our new resurrected bodies. As we wait, we need to do what Jesus did. We need to pray. We need to pray that the Lord keep us faithful at all times so we are ready when he appears again in glory. We need to pray he continually gives us his word and sacraments. We pray for the furtherance of his kingdom and the hindrance of evil. We join with Christ in his intercessory prayers for us, for even now, Jesus still prays for us at the right hand of God.
Heavenly Father, continually grant us repentance and faith in your son Jesus Christ that we may endure until the end and enter into his glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.