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.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20.

Last night in our Home Group, we talked about prayer and how needful it is for us to bring our needs simply to Creator God – Father…Son…Spirit. Jesus showed us how important prayer is. If Jesus needed prayer, how can we not? Imagine what it was like for Jesus. Instead He went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to Him from everywhere. Mark 1:45. He healed people and told them not to tell anyone. And He taught about the good news of the Kingdom of God and people sought Him out. He sought out the Father knowing how deep was His need and the needs of all of us for God our Father. And remember, Jesus was with the Father before He was with us.

And in our chapter, Isaiah 38, Hezekiah realizes why we suffer trials and difficulties and needs we cannot help. Hezekiah became ill and Isaiah came to tell him he would die. What did Hezekiah do? Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in Your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. v. 2-3. And God healed him. And God gave Hezekiah 15 more years. And Hezekiah, realizing this healing was from God, wrote a poem of thanks. Can we see what Hezekiah saw? But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I walk humbly all my years because of this anguish of my soul. Lord, by such things people live; and my spirit finds life in them too. You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In Your love You kept me from the pit of destruction; You have put all my sins behind Your back. v. 15-17. We are all of us faced with things we have no control over…by such things people live…and our spirit finds life in them too. When we realize we are not God, we can begin to humbly go to God and ask Him for the help we need. And trust Him for the answer in His timing. And we can live this life knowing that with Him we can begin to understand something bigger than all of us. That God is. The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord. v. 20.

There is a special connection when we find a quiet place where we can go to God and pray. No formula. Speak from your heart. And listen. Sometimes there is silence and a sense of peace; sometimes a still, quiet thought affirming you are heard and you are loved. Sometimes I just need to be still with Him with me. We begin to realize God is our peace and our hope because in Him we are saved by our Creator. The more we come to Him in prayer, the closer our connection with Him will be. I am learning with Him to give every concern to Him. And I wait in trust knowing He knows what will be. He knows. I don’t know – but our God does know and we can trust Him for all of it. Hezekiah had 15 years added to his life. But there came that day when his physical life would end. And we can each of us trust God for that day. He knows.