GodReflection: Six Jesus Markers To Be More Like Him.
Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray (Mark 1:35).
When Mark begins to tell the story of Jesus’s life it doesn’t take long to find Jesus praying. The Son must keep close contact with Father God for daily strength required to carry out his assignment.
Not only in Mark’s account but also from the other three writers who share Jesus’s life with us—all four authors—fill their gospels with constant close contact between Jesus and God. To reflect Jesus, we too must remain in close and constant contact with God. Jesus prays. We must learn to pray.
The Gospels trace the mutual trust of Father and Son that Jesus demonstrates with his constant prayer life. Prayer—A Marker Of Trust is traceable from the time Jesus begins his ministry through the unbelievable stress that leads to his crucifixion. Jesus trust Father God always. His prayer is talk with God.
As the Acts of The Apostles begin, and in the letters, all writers tell the story of the new first century church. We see Prayer—A Marker Of Trust on page after page as New Testament Christians, led by the apostles Peter, Paul, and John, depend on communication with Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Our New Testament teaches that we enter relationship with the Holy when we unite with Jesus by faith, repentance, and baptism, to receive the Holy Spirit. And when we are raised from baptismal waters, we receive a special gift—His Holy Spirit.
That gift gives us the avenue of prayer so that we can receive strength and guidance from Holy Father, Holy Son, and Holy Spirit, to increase our own strength. Through prayer we trust The Holy to provide for our needs.
One of God’s great gifts is coffee. What better way to build friendship can there be than those relationships nourished at the coffee table. 
Constant contact over a hot cup of coffee seems to me to be a wonderful picture of how I can remain in close contact with God. The New Testament calls that prayer.
As we pray, we tap into Holy Strength and join God in His work. In our participation with The Holy we accomplish Jesus’s work only by the avenue of Prayer—A Marker Of Trust. Prayer is a Jesus Marker that allows me to join God’s strength in his work.
Jesus teaches us another big idea: He teaches us to pray to receive this power for our growth and use as we join Him in his Kingdom Rule. Mathew records Jesus’s instruction for us in his gospel (Mathew 6: 5-13). There we read how we must learn to pray.
First, as we begin, we address Holy God as Our Father and acknowledge Holiness radiates from His name. From heaven Jesus now rules as King. We confess His Kingdom comes and His Will is done on earth just like it is done in heaven.
Through prayer we receive sustenance on this day—and every day—our daily bread for nourishment so we can do Kingdom work.
Jesus teaches me to admit my sin filled nature using prayer to receive forgiveness from The Holy in the same way I forgive all who sin against me.
To do his work (just like Jesus) I will need protection from the evil of Satan. Therefore, Jesus teaches me to pray to not be led into temptation but to be delivered from evil.
To pray Jesus’s prayer from the dept of our soul requires total trust. Indeed, we trust he tells us the truth that he is given complete rule of our world by Holy God. And even though we don’t see it, HIS WILL IS BEING DONE ON OUR EARTH AS IT IS IN THE HEAVEN.
As we speak these words, we trust him to provide for every need we have today and tomorrow. NOTHING WE NEED WILL BE DENIED.
Yes, we trust him to forgive our sins. We know that is a tall bit of trust. AND SINCE HE FORGIVES ALL OUR SINS, WE CAN DO IT FOR THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US.
And finally, we pray just as The Holy protected Jesus every day from the Devil, WE TRUST JESUS TO PROTECT US FROM TEMPTATION AND TO DELIVER US FROM ALL EVIL.
Sounds to me like Jesus assures us Prayer Is A Marker Of Trust. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Stay tuned.
Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection on Prayer—A Marker Of Trust.
God Reflection 