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.  Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed,”Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else-to the nearby villages-so I can preach there also.  That is why I have come.”                                               Mark 1:35-38

This one might be all for me.  This story wasn’t where I was studying this morning, but just like the all-powerful God He is, He led me to it anyway.  We don’t always plan to go where we later realize He’s led us.

The night before the story above begins, Jesus had been hard at work.  People all over town had come to be healed.  It didn’t start until night because they were all Jews and they had to wait for the Sabbath to end at sundown.  So He had a late night.

He was human, He was surely tired.  But He got up not just early, but very early to go spend some time with the Father, get the game plan for the coming day.  He drags Himself out of bed, goes outside to let the cool morning air help awaken His spent body, and He does what He knows He needs to do.  And by this time, I know that it isn’t just what He has to do, even in His tiredness, it is what He wants to do. He’d done this enough times, He knew it was worth it.

He has His moments of fellowship and revitalization and then He’s ready.  Peter thinks He knows what He’s ready for and seems rather shocked that He isn’t already about it.  I love the wording on this verse, he ‘exclaims,’ his statement–not question or even a good morning–ends in an exclamation point.  He’s indignant. Does Jesus know there is work to do?  Does He have no idea how many people have hunted Him down this morning!?

Peter comes on the scene like a road manager, he’s got the day planned out and, frankly, his charge is already behind schedule.  And Jesus takes the agenda, rejects the frenzy, tosses aside the plan and calmly says, “Let’s go somewhere else.” All the worry and the anxiety and the scheduled healing appointments, all tossed aside without a single care.

How does Christ do this so flippantly?  Because He knows what the big picture looks like.  He knows why He’s come. And meeting all those appointments just doesn’t fall in line with it.

We look at Him and say things like, “Ah,  how nice to be able to walk away like that! What energy He must have had to go on so little sleep!  Of course the Son of the King of Kings would know His purpose!” It’s a story about someone else’s life, right?  A perfect someone else.

It’s a story about you.  Christ came to save us, from our sins and our destruction and ourselves.  And He’s trying to show us how to help the situation.  Follow me, He says.  Do as I do and as I say.  I Was a Man.  Stop excusing yourself and chocking the hard parts up to my divinity.  It falls in line with my humanity.  And it’s what’s right for you too.

One, value your time with the Lord above everything else–people, sleep, demands, obligations, ‘urgent’ situations-yours and other peoples, schedules, and agendas. No compromising, no ‘breaks’ or vacations, no ‘special occasions.’ His mercies are new every morning and yesterday’s manna isn’t going to fill your belly today.

Two, be willing to disappoint people.  This one is tough.  We think it makes God look back for us to not be doing certain things or presenting a certain image.  God can handle His part, if He wants you in on it, He’s pretty capable of letting you know. (And if you just spent your morning time with Him, He’s had ample opportunity to fill you in on the plan.)

Think of all the people who were looking for Jesus that had asked Peter where He could be found.  They were all left without Him.  He moved on to what that day held and it wasn’t them.  But it was the plan. He moved on to doing what the Father had just told Him needed to be done, that which was in line with His purpose and destination.

Third, know your purpose and do that which falls in line with it.  Know what you need to be doing today, this season, this year, with this life.  Andy Stanley called this idea the Principle of the Path.  If you hop on I-75 North, you will not end up in Orlando.  You need to know where you are headed or you will likely never arrive there. When something has to go, make sure it isn’t the things that fall in line with your purpose.  Make sure they aren’t detours that take you off of the path that leads to your destination. Listen to what God requires of you and don’t let your schedule get cramped with things that don’t line up with that purpose, that don’t take you in the direction of your destination. Remember, if you spend every day with Him, you’ll be ready to hear the plan, you’ll be prepared to get your driving instructions.  Don’t be overwhelmed with wondering where to go and whom to serve and who you need to say No to, He’ll let you know, you just have to show up when He’s ready to tell you.

It’s hard to even attempt to model a Man who was and is God.  It’s so easy to say, He could do that, He was God. I’m just a man.  Don’t let the size of the goal dissuade you from attempting to reach it.  Start at the beginning; show up to hear the game plan, make your day’s decisions based on the direction He gives you, follow the path that leads to your purpose.