Most of us say we want to be closer to Jesus, yet the busy days keep getting in the way. This week we will take five simple steps together, from meeting Him in the morning to learning that He is already walking beside us. Whether you are just beginning or starting over, come along and let’s build a walk with Jesus that lasts.

MONDAY

Morning With the Master

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

Mark 1:35 (NKJV)

Jesus had a full schedule. Crowds pressed in, the sick lined up, and the disciples always needed something. Yet Mark tells us that very early, while it was still dark, He got up and went to a quiet place to pray.

If the Son of God needed that time with the Father, how much more do we?

Many of us want a closer walk with Jesus, but we wait for the perfect moment. We tell ourselves we will start when life slows down. Friend, life is not going to slow down. A daily walk is not built in a perfect season. It is built by showing up on an ordinary morning, tired and unprepared, and saying, “Lord, here I am.”

Notice what Jesus did. He chose a time, He chose a place, and He prayed. That is a good pattern for us. You do not need an hour. Start with ten minutes. Pick a spot, maybe a kitchen table, a back porch, or a favorite chair. Read a few verses slowly, and talk to Him like you would a friend sitting across from you.

Some mornings it will feel warm and close. Other mornings it will feel like you are talking to the ceiling. Show up anyway. A friendship grows through the faithful visits, not just the exciting ones.

Decide today when and where you will meet with Jesus tomorrow morning. Treat it like an appointment you refuse to miss. He is already waiting.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for rising early to meet with Your Father and for showing me how to do the same. Forgive me for the mornings I rushed past You. Help me set aside this time and keep it. Meet me in the quiet, speak to my heart, and send me out with Your peace. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!