Gods Sabbath

T HE L IVING C ONNECTION

339

Although no other life was ever crowded with so much labor and responsibility as that of Jesus’, He sustained a constant prayer life. Often we find reports like these in scripture: “... having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” Mark 1:35 (NKJV). “... crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:15, 16. “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12 (NKJV). The connection between Jesus’ prayer life and His unfaltering obedience is recognized in the following paragraphs: “In a life wholly devoted to the good of others, the Savior found it necessary to withdraw from the thoroughfares of travel and from the throng that followed Him day after day. He must turn aside from a life of ceaseless activity and contact with human needs, to seek retirement and unbroken communion with His Fa ther. As one with us, a sharer in our needs and weaknesses, He was wholly dependent upon God, and in the secret place of prayer He sought divine strength, that He might go forth braced for du ty and trial. In a world of sin Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. In communion with God He could unburden the sorrows that were crushing Him. Here He found comfort and joy.... “As a man He supplicated the throne of God till His humani ty was charged with a heavenly current that should connect hu manity with divinity. Through continual communion He re ceived life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His experience is to be ours.” The Desire of Ages , 362.4, 363.1. In these hours spent with the Eternal Father, Jesus did more than pray to Him. The Scriptures affirm that He communed with Him. From Jesus there ascended mighty Spirit-indicted supplications, in response to which the life of the Almighty flowed in rich streams into the needy Petitioner. In this way, when Jesus prayed, He was mightily revitalized with God’s life, light, love and power. So great was the living connection established between Him self and heaven, that Jesus had not the slightest difficulty in