You Need This. Walking with Jesus – from the Edges.

Walking with Jesus (day 22 of 40)

You Need This –

Pastor Calvin Cook

August 4, 2026

Mark 1:35 – “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.”

This morning I am following Jesus to the place I need to be.

Where is that place? Is it on a hillside under an oak tree, the front porch, the seashore, in the church sanctuary, at the altar rail, in the easy chair, with a loved one, driving down a back country road. All of these places are worthy as designation of “the place”. These places are all places that I have found great comfort, care and connection to Jesus.

There is something different about this morning, a feeling I feel every morning when rising early to be alone with God. To sit at the feet of Jesus and just be still. That is where I am this morning. Just sitting and being quiet with the Bible open, prayers filling my heart and just being quiet.

Sometimes our devotional time becomes so ordinary and planned that it turns into habit. But each day must be different, because each is different. There are different concerns, things to do, battles to fight and without that extra ordinary time to just pause and give the cares, burdens, and concerns over to Jesus. Though comfort can certainly be found with others, music, sermons, reading what we need each day is follow Jesus into that place that Jesus described in Mark 1:35, that solitary place to just be present with God.

To be honest this is where I experience the most – in that solitary place.

It equips me, prepares me, and even softens the demands of the “you need to do this”, “will you do this”, “will you make this your priority”, “can you fit one more thing into your schedule?” and the procrastination of I know what I need to do, I just don’t take time to do it.

Here is what I need this morning and what you need to do, excuse me for saying it that way, is to just slip away into that solitary place with Jesus and just be present and allow God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to do what God does and wants to do in your life today.

Before you face everything that needs you, spend time with the One you need most.