Jesus was masterful at crowd control. He needed to be. His ministry sometimes drew large numbers of people, keeping him constantly active. Also, some who followed close by were anything but supportive.
Yet he was never dissuaded from his mission by the distractions around him, or by the disrespect for and outright opposition to his healing mission. For anyone striving to live a Christly life today, anyone who loves God and prays to end human suffering, there's much to learn from the way Jesus dealt with the crowds he encountered. And his way was always the way of prayer.
Prayer is vital to our lives. It should never become just an item on the agenda that can get squeezed out by a crowd of distractions. Prayer is an opportunity to get the right perspective on life. It is a tremendous occasion when we commune with God, when we hear His voice, feel His love, and are made well by His Christ. To acknowledge God, divine Spirit, as our Maker, and to realize that we are, in truth, His spiritual idea, His image, bring inspiration and healing. At the instant we feel the presence of God, we know He is with us always; He is revealing His love and truth to us every moment. Our prayers show us how God's harmonious government comes to bear on the wide range of tasks in our day; we find the insight, the compassion, the direction, that meet our needs. We are reminded again and again, as we pray, that God is here to bless us, to be heard and obeyed.
