3 Things Jesus Always Did and Why You Should Too (Not What You Might Think)

3 things Jesus always did & why you should too (Not what you might think).

As you read through the gospels you notice many things that Jesus did regularly. He loved people, healed the sick, taught in the synagogs and preached to huge crowds. He traveled often and performed miracles everywhere he went. However, if you look a little deeper you will notice that he almost always did three things. So…what are those three things? I’m glad you asked!

The first might be one that you’ve noticed before but I’d like to bring it to our attention because of how often it’s mentioned and how seldom we do it.

Mark 1:35 “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.”

1. Get alone and pray to the Father

Jesus ALWAYS did this. He knew His identity, direction and fulfillment all came from the Father. He knew the crowd was fickle, one day they loved him the next they wanted him dead and so He always came back to the Father.

In a day and age where we are surrounded by media and looking for ‘likes’ more than ever we need to get back to this. If Jesus had to always get alone to be with the Father, so do we! Without this fundamental key we will live our lives not knowing who we really are, misled in direction and always looking to people and things to satisfy but remain empty no matter where or how hard we look.

Take time to get alone with the Father and pray, He will richly reward you, He will bring a refreshing and a joy that you have been without for far too long. He will not only give you peace but you will come away from this time filled with a sense of greater purpose as well. Get alone and pray to the Father.

The second isn’t as easy to find because there are no direct verses that tell us ‘Jesus did this.’ However there are many accounts where Jesus actually does do this, in fact the gospels are filled with stories of him doing this.

2. Enjoy a good meal with friends

Jesus took time to enjoy relationships. He was always eating with friends. He was always meeting people and sharing a meal with them, whether he was inviting himself over for a meal or miraculously providing a meal for many. He celebrated life by making memories, throwing parties and always sharing a meal with friends.

Today, fast food drive throughs are busier than ever, people are eating on the go and missing this tremendously important aspect of life. Skipping breakfast altogether, having a quick lunch by themselves and maybe even a TV dinner. Even families are missing this! Too many parents and children alike have their devices in front of them and are missing the best parts of life – sharing a meal with their loved ones.

Take time today, this weekend, next week to enjoy a meal with family and friends. Take time out of your busy schedule, forget about Facebook and Twitter for one hour and relax and enjoy the company. Your heart will be full and you will wonder why you have been missing one of the best parts of life. Enjoy a good meal with friends.

The third is the hardest to identify, simply because it doesn’t actually say it anywhere in the gospels. In reality the gospels only references Jesus doing the opposite of this very thing.

3. Get a good night’s sleep

The case for this being a regular practice of Jesus comes from the one scripture that tells us Jesus stayed up all night to pray (Luke 6:12). If this was his usual practice it would either be mentioned a lot more or not mentioned at all. But the fact that it was only mentioned once tells us that it was a special occasion, it was on the eve of Him choosing his twelve disciples (a big decision). And it doesn’t tell us he worried all night, it tells us he prayed all night (big difference).

So, if Jesus regularly got away from people to be alone to pray with the Father and if he often took time to enjoy a good meal with friends, it would make complete sense that he had the very healthy habit of getting a good night’s sleep. Shoot, Jesus even napped!

Many of us might get a good night’s sleep once a week if we are lucky. If we are busy and have to get a lot done, sleep is usually the first thing that many of us sacrifice. God addresses this in Psalm 127:2 “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest…for he gives sleep to his beloved.” In fact God often ministers to us in our sleep from giving us dreams to rest and refreshing. Sleep is also a component of one of the 3 Keys to Growth.

Don’t burn the candle at both ends. Find the time to rest (7, 8, or even 9 hours a night), take naps if you have to, the bottom line…Sleep! The better sleep that you get the better you will be each day. You name it – it will be better – emotionally, relationally, spiritually, even your productivity. Get a good night’s sleep.

So, remember the three things that Jesus did regularly and put them into practice! Get alone and pray to the Father, enjoy a good meal with friends and get a good night’s sleep.