Mark 1

Well the first thing you realize after reading epistles for weeks then jumping to a gospel is that the chapters are MUCH longer in the gospels. However, I sometimes enjoy reading the stories of what Jesus did more than the sometimes drier theology in the epistles. The gospels usually have a little more drama than other New Testament books.

I Jesus begins His ministry
A. vs 1-8 John the Baptist prepares Israel for the coming Messiah
1. vs 1-3 John's coming is prophesied by Isaiah
2. vs 4-8 Judea and Jerusalem respond to John's teaching
B. vs 9-13 Jesus is Baptized and Tempted
1. vs 9-11 Baptism and Annunciation of Christ
2. vs 12-13 Jesus goes to the desert for 40 days and is tempted by Satan
C. vs 14-20 Jesus begins public ministry; Begins calling Disciples
1. vs 14-15 Jesus begins ministry with a call to repent
2. vs 16-18 Jesus calls Peter and Andrew
3. vs 19-20 Jesus calls James and John
D. vs 21-28 The people marvel at His teaching
1. vs 21-26 Jesus casts a demon out of a man
2. vs 27-28 News of Christ begins to spread
E. vs 29-34 Jesus continues to heal
1. vs 29-31 Jesus heals Peter's Mother-in-Law
2. vs 32-34 Jesus heals all who gather at Peter's door
F. vs 35-39 Jesus gives reason why He came
1. vs 35-37 Jesus goes off to pray
2. vs 38-39 Jesus came to preach
G. vs 40-45 Jesus heals a man with leprosy
1. vs 40-42 A man begs Him to heal him of his leprosy
2. vs 43-45 The man tells everyone what Christ did and makes it difficult to enter a town

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.
Mark 1:35

Every time I read verses like this one that make Christ's discipline in the area of prayer so apparent, I always feel a pang of guilt because I know that this is one area of my own walk that is sorely lacking. Oh I pray, but not with the discipline and joy that Christ found. Never with the sense of Divine Communion that I'm sure He felt. My mind wanders, I'm unfocused, there is little of the sense that I am touching God's heart. I've taught and been taught on the subject of prayer many times but I always feel like I'm missing something. That there should be something more. I think if there was a Mount of Transfiguration moment every time I went into my prayer time, I would do little else but pray. Perhaps if there were spiritual fireworks, maybe a burning bush, or even some one-on-one time with a God I could touch, prayer would be no problem. It would be a joy, something earnestly looked forward to. Instead, there is silence. But every once in a while, I see something. God answers a prayer in a blatantly obvious way. A decision is made by someone I have been praying for. Someone is healed. A blessing arrives at just the right time. That's when I know. No prayer goes unanswered. The Heavens are not brass. God is not deaf. God is not powerless to move. He is working in us and with us and loves to answer the prayers of his people. When that happens, prayer does become a joy. I do look forward to my prayer time. Perhaps I should pray that I remember those times more readily.