How could Jesus pray so much?

It’s been a long day–mostly of sitting. We sat for most of the morning in the hospital (in the larger city of Maesot, two hours south of Sunshine Orchard). We did get some walking on the streets, but we’ve been sitting again for a few hours while we wait for the car to be fixed.

Cars and motorbikes go past me in an endless stream. I’ve seen more people today than I usually see in probably a few days–most of whom I cannot communicate with like the people I am usually with. Smells of food mix with a multitude of other unnamed smells. Endless noise, endless activity, buildings in every direction–and I wonder how people live here. My mind traces over the last three weeks–the opening of hearts who do have a Savior, who are loved and appreciated, whose lives have shown me how weak my faith was at times, yet in the depths of their souls were questions, fears, doubts, and even hopelessness sometimes. Sometimes I felt like my heart would break as I heard their stories. It almost makes me shudder to think of what these people would have to say were they to open their hearts as those dear friends of mine have.

I think I’m learning something though. Hearing those stories changed me. Something was different about my prayer time. What once took effort to pray for was now something I couldn’t help but pray for. Only when I was done praying did I realize that I had spent much more time praying than usual? Could this possibly be the answer? The answer to how Jesus could spend so much time in prayer?

He reached the hearts of the people by going among them as one who desired their good. He sought them in the public streets, in private houses, on the boats, in the synagogue, by the shores of the lake, and at the marriage feast. *

Thus were spent the days in the earthly life of Jesus. He often dismissed His disciples to visit their homes and rest; but He gently resisted their efforts to draw Him away from His labors. All day He toiled, teaching the ignorant, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, feeding the multitude; and at the eventide or in the early morning, He went away to the sanctuary of the mountains for communion with His Father. Often He passed the entire night in prayer and meditation, returning at daybreak to His work among the people. **

*{DA 151}

** {DA 259.5}