The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon.

“But the news about him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”

—Luke 5:15–16

Our focus is so often on doing the work and meeting the needs in front of us that we forget to withdraw for prayer, but it’s a vital part of our walk with the Lord. If we neglect it, the work and the meeting of others’ needs will wither and turn to something more like that noisy gong or clanging cymbal talked about in 1 Corinthians 13.

Our withdrawal for time to pray and meditate on the Word is what keeps us abiding in the vine, overflowing with God’s rivers of living water, and pouring out his love. When we don’t abide in him and operate through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we often end up doing works that sound good but that God never prompted.

Spending time in the Word and praying are essential building blocks of a thriving Christian walk with the Lord that will fuel love and help us impact the world for his kingdom.

Our spirits need this nourishment just as our bodies need food. We will not be healthy or functioning properly in the body of Christ without it.

Whether it’s kids, jobs, or crowds clamoring for our attention, doing this might look, to them, like we’re selfishly withdrawing from their needs and our duties, but Jesus’s life shows that incorporating this into our lives is the only way to serve them well. Through following his example, we will also become an example to them, demonstrating our belief that time with our Lord is the most important thing in life. 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download