Read and meditate on Hebrews 5:7-9.

One of the most convincing proofs of the value of prayer and its privilege is seen when we look at the life of our Lord.

Consider this:  Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  He was perfect in every way.  Every moment, He was in absolute harmony with His Heavenly Father.  Upon Him and in Him dwelt the Holy Spirit without measure.  Therefore, He did not have to pray about the thing that we spend most of our prayers on YET:  He still felt the repeated need to withdraw from the ministry and the affairs of everyday life for refreshment and renewal with His Heavenly Father.  Jesus Christ prayed!  It was His priority, His joy.  Nothing is more conspicuous in the gospels.

Doctor Luke sets this before us the most clearly.  Luke’s gospel shows our Lord as “the perfect man”, therefore, understandably, the emphasis is on prayer.  Because of His deep oneness with His Father, He could say the words of John 5:19 “The Sone does nothing independently, but only what He seeth the Father do.”

In Luke 3:21, we see Jesus praying at His baptism… the beginning of His public ministry.

In Luke 5:15-16, we find that as His fame spread, He withdrew to pray.  A man must stay on his knees before God if he is to stand on his feet before men.

In Luke 6:12, our Lord spend the night in prayer before choosing the twelve apostles.  (We would be wise to follow His example before choosing deacons!)

In Luke 9:28-29, we read that it was while Christ was praying that He was transfigured!  Prayer is the place of transfiguration (2 Corinthians 3:18).

In Luke 11:1, the disciples asked the Lord Jesus to teach them to pray!  They must have known that it was the very breath of His soul.  Consider the fact that the only thing His disciples ever asked Him to teach them was to pray, not to preach or to do miracles or to witness….but to pray!

In Luke 22:31-32, we learn he prayed for his own by name! Today, he is praying for you!

In Luke 22: 39-46, he prayed in the time of his most severe testing.

In Luke 23: 34, he prayed for his executioners and a Christ rejecting world.

Now think on this next question carefully:  If Jesus Christ placed such priority and worth on prayer, then what ought we to do?

Look up 1 John 2:6 and meditate on it.  Do you see it?

If Jesus Christ took you by the hand and led you through the day, do you think you could go through the day without a prayer time?

Today, ask your Heavenly Father to enlarge your vision in prayer.  He wants your prayer time to be a joy!