Mark 1:32, 34-37

32That evening, at sunset, people brought to Jesus those who were sick or demon-possessed.

³⁴ He healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases, and he threw out many demons. But he didn’t let the demons speak, because they recognized him.

³⁵ Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. ³⁶ Simon and those with him tracked him down. ³⁷ When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you!”

Key Verse:

Early in the morning, well before sunrise, Jesus rose and went to a deserted place where he could be alone in prayer. —Mark 1:35

Commentary:

Multiple times in Scripture, Jesus removes himself from the public. Sometimes he goes alone; other times he takes some or all of his disciples. In this story, Jesus, who was fully human and fully divine, needed a break. It wasn’t about not wanting to help people. And it wasn’t as simple as introvert vs extrovert. It was to create mental healing and space to do the hard work. The Gospel of Mark doesn’t take time for a birth narrative. In Mark’s account, we jump right into Jesus calling his disciples and getting to work. He immediately began to heal people and, as word spread of his miracles, he was overwhelmed. So he retreated. Short, purposeful, and renewing, Jesus went into nature to be alone in prayer. Then, of course, he went back to the hard work of healing and teaching about the love of God.

Questions to think about:

How do you handle being overwhelmed with stress?

Do you ever use prayer and personal devotion time to center yourself?

What spiritual practices are most helpful to you—meditation, breath prayer, singing?