Jesus prayed

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” Mark 1:35

This year’s camp meeting was extremely busy for me. I was given a new job there as the chairperson for the video/audio production team. Everything was new to me. I had to spend extra time to learn the work and get familiar with it. First few days, I was not able to get enough sleep! I was getting really tired. A few days later, I got used to the work and I was comfortable working with the staff working with me. They truly have been a blessing to me as we worked together.

But there was one thing I forgot to do. Something I remembered as it got toward the end of the meeting. It was writing this devotional to my churches! In the busy-ness of camp meeting, I had completely forgotten about this! I felt so bad. This was the first time since I came to this district that I forgot to write, not just one but for two weeks! (Please forgive me, everyone.)

As I thought about this, I wondered about our daily spiritual lives. There are commitments that we make and yet due to our busy lives, we tend to forget about the commitments. One of the commitments is our time with Jesus. We know that it’s important for us, that it gives us so much strength and power. But when things get real busy, we tend to push it aside. We think that we can catch up later, but we eventually forget about it.

What did Jesus do? Jesus was a super busy person. He was always at work. But Jesus had the time to pray. He made the time to pray. At often times, Jesus would pray all night long. He must have been tired from the day’s work, but the prayerful nights would strengthen Him more. Jesus preferred to spend time with His Father more than anything else. We should learn to do the same.

Glory of God

“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God  illuminated it. The Lamb of God is its light.” Revelation 21:23

Has anyone tried to see straight into the sun with your bare eyes? You can probably do that for like 0.1 second and then close your eyes or turn your eyes away because it is so bright. In fact the sun is so bright to see that when you stare at it for moment and close your eyes, you can still see the image of the sun.

When sin entered the world, we were not able to see the glory of God anymore. Why? Because our sinfulness cannot stand the bright glory of God. And yet God chose to be with us. That’s why God told Moses to build a sanctuary so that He can dwell with men during their journey in the wilderness.

Here was the problem though. Were the men going to blindfold their eyes when they would have to pack of to move from location to location? I mean, the Sanctuary didn’t pack up on its own. The priests must have done it. But then, they would have to see the ark of God. Then they would have to die, right? Well, that didn’t happen. “Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony…” Numbers 9:15. Isn’t that awesome? The cloud by day and fire by night had guided the Israelites in their journey. And when it’s time to move this cloud would come down to cover God’s glory!

On the other hand, here’s what happened to those who intentionally peeped into see God’s glory. “Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck fifty thousand and seventy ment…” 1 Samuel 6:19. These men in Beth Shemesh had sinful curiosity. They tried to see God’s glory and God struck them. Does it sound harsh? No, it’s simply our nature of sin that prohibits us from seeing God’s glory. Withstanding God’s glory is not in our current nature. That’s why Moses’ face was shining even as he was hiding when God’s glory was passing by. That’s whey Saul (Paul)’s eyes were blinded at His first encounter with Jesus.

But I do want to see the glory of God someday. Oh, how awesome it must have been for Adam and Eve to be with God before sin. Now God promises us that is possible. Revelation describes of Heaven that we saints will be in. It says that the Lamb is the light. Then it says, “And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light…” Revelation 21:24. So come soon, Jesus!