Mark 1:35-39

35 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. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"
38 Jesus replied, Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39 So he travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Some thoughts:

What's this passage all about?
Jesus prayed alone, very early in the morning, before preaching and performing miracles. Simon and some of the other disciples wanted Jesus to come in from his solitary place and just get on with the business of meeting the people. [Simon sounds a bit like a political press secretary, doesn't he?]

What can I learn from this?
Diligent, regular, frequent prayer is essential preparation for any Christian ministry, whether it be through speech or service. In the context of the rest of Mark 1, especially verses 9-11, other pre-requisites for Christian ministry are baptism (as a public confession of one's own personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour) and the annointing of the Holy Spirit (as a sign of belief - Eph 1:13-14; as a guide in all truth and righteousness - John 16:8-11,13; and as the source of spiritual gifts required for ministry that results in the common good - 1 Cor 12:4-7ff.).
It is easy for Christians to get caught up, like Simon, in the excitement of new ministry opportunities. It is easy to overlook the importance of prayer.

How can I apply this to my own life?
I need to set aside (include in my daily schedule) a place and time for prayer, praying over my "ministry work" (the life God has called me to: being a wife and mother, homemaking, homeschooling, evangelising and discipling my children.) At the moment I use my weekly lap swimming times for this, but I know that one hour, once a week, is not enough. Perhaps in the mid-afternoons, after I have finished homeschool with Joshua and while the younger kids nap, might be a suitable time with the least likelihood of interruptions. It would also help if I had a page in my filofax where I could make an agenda list of people, situations and concerns to pray over, and to record God's answers to my prayers.
I should also be praying more often in support of my husband Jeff. I have learnt that one of the most significant wifely duties is prayer for one's husband.
Another exciting opportunity for ministry is coming up for me if I go ahead with running a short series of workshops for parents at my church on "Raising Christian Kids: evangelising and discipling our own children." I need to move forward prayerfully with my preparation for this. As I prepare each workshop talk, I need to be studying my Bible for God's wisdom about this topic, rather than my own personal, perhaps worldly, understandings. I must pray for His guidance, the gift of His Spirit of truth in this matter.