11 Feb W3 | Pray and Work

Posted at 14:47h in March, Topics 2025 by

REFERENCE BIBLE VERSES

Mark 1:35 | “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.”

Philippians 4:6-7 | “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

OBJECTIVE

To understand that busyness should not justify prayerlessness; even in our busyness pursuing excellence, always make prayer a priority.

CONTENT

JESUS PRIORITIZED PRAYERS

  • As a Christian living in the secular world with its hustle bustle, it can be challenging to balance the demands of our job with our faith. Despite getting busy and anxious in getting things done excellently, we should not allow them to override our spiritual needs altogether, especially our prayer time.
  • Jesus, despite His busy ministry and His identity as Son of God, still becomes our prayer model as He often uses most of His time to pray and shows that prayer is an essential part of His work on earth. For example, Jesus prays very early in the morning (Mark 1: 35), Jesus prays before He chose His disciples (Luke 6:12), and He even prayed when He was crucified (Luke 23:46). Jesus often withdrew from the crowd and prayed in solitude. “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)
  • Jesus prayed because, even as a perfect Man, He needed his Father. He needed wisdom in making decisions, resilience in temptation, discernment in teaching, comfort in sorrow, strength to bear unbearable suffering.
  • God calls us to strive, build, and work in this world, but never without prayer. Jesus understood this well. Despite being busy, in demand, needed, and burdened by the weight of urgent responsibilities, He prayed.
  • Through Jesus, we learn how even in sinless humanity, it is necessary to have a vital prayer life in order to do His Father’s will. And if Jesus, even Jesus, developed such a habit in the demands of His human life, shouldn’t we all the more?

PRAYER IS IMPORTANT AND BENEFICIAL FOR US

  • Prayer and works are not conflicting with each other; rather, both are gifts from God. However, there are couple of reason of why prayer is a matter of great importance:
  • Prayer is God’s command: As Paul mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 5: 17, we are to “pray continually”. This clear and direct command emphasizes that if there is one thing we must never cease doing, it is prayer.
  • Prayer is our source of strength: The power of prayer is not in the time spent but in the connection with God. Time in His presence provides the spiritual strength needed to fulfill the work and ministry He has entrusted to us. The story of Mary and Martha reminds us that without the foundation of prayer, our efforts—no matter how diligent—can lead to exhaustion and frustration, just as Martha experienced.
  • Prayer is our safest haven: In the face of challenges and unresolved conflicts, our efforts alone may fall short. Sometimes, the best response is to pause, seek God, and reflect. In these moments of prayer, we find rest, wisdom, and new opportunities through a deeper encounter with Him.

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  • In what ways do we let our busyness justify our prayerlessness? Share some ways how you can still prioritize prayer in times of busyness.
  • How would you describe your prayer life over the past few months? In what ways would you like your prayer life to grow?

REFERENCES