able prayer. When we realise what time Christ spent
in prayer, and how the great events of His life were all connected with
special prayer, we learn the necessity of absolute dependence on and
unceasing direct communication with the heavenly world, if we are to
live a heavenly life, or to exercise heavenly power around us. We see
how foolish and fruitless the attempt must be to do work for God and
heaven, without in the first place in prayer getting the life and the
power of heaven to possess us. Unless this truth lives in us, we cannot
avail ourselves aright of the mighty power of the Name of Christ. His
example must teach us the meaning of His Name.

Of His baptism we read, "Jesus having been baptized, _and praying_, the
heaven was opened." It was in prayer heaven was opened to Him, that
heaven came down to Him with the Spirit and the voice of the Father. In
the power of these He was led into the wilderness, in fasting and prayer
to have them tested and fully appropriated. Early in His ministry Mark
records (i. 35), "And in the morning, a great while before day, He rose
and departed into a desert place, _and there prayed_." And somewhat
later Luke tells (v. 16), "Multitudes came together to hear and to be
healed. _But He withdrew Himself into the desert, and prayed._" He knew
how the holiest service, preaching and healing, can exhaust the spirit;
how too much intercourse with men could cloud the fellowship with God;
how time, time, full time, is needed if the spirit is to rest and root
in Him; how no pressure of duty among men can free from the absolute
need of much prayer. If anyone could have been satisfied with always
living and working in the spirit of prayer, it would have been our
Master. But He could not; He needed to have His supplies replenished by
continual and long-continued seasons of prayer. To use Christ's Name in
prayer surely includes this, to follow His example and to pray as He
did.

Of the night before choosing His apostles we read (Luke vi. 12), "He
went out into the mountain _to pray, and continued all night in prayer
to God_." The first step towards the constitution of the Church, and the
separation of men to be His witnesses and successors, called Him to
special long-continued prayer. All had to be done according to the
pattern on the mount. "The Son can do nothing of Himself: the Father
showeth Him all things that Himself doeth." It was in the night of
prayer it was shown Him.

In the night