Janelle glanced at Carla’s text.

Do you want to grab coffee before Bible study tonight? Would love to catch up.

Janelle groaned. It was Wednesday. There was no way she had time for Bible study tonight. Not with everything going on right now. She shot back a reply.

Can’t make it to study tonight–too busy.

Before setting the phone on the counter, it buzzed. Carla was calling. How did Carla not understand? If she was too busy to go to Bible study, it meant she was too busy to talk about why she couldn’t go. She blew out a breath. At least she could talk to Carla while she got other things done. She answered the call, set it to speaker, and continued prepping dinner.

“Hey, girlfriend, tell me what’s going on.”

Janelle poured the rice into the rice cooker and turned it on. “Just making dinner.”

“I don’t mean right this minute. Why are you too busy for Bible study?” Carla’s voice was kind, not accusing.

Janelle launched into her list. “Work is a nightmare lately. Don piled on three more clients. And the twins need help with their homework and have a soccer tournament this weekend, which means we’ll be out of town. We’re busy with Keisha as well, teaching her to drive and helping her look at colleges. On top of all that, Marcus’s brother is on hospice and likely won’t make it through the month. There’s too much going on for me to go to Bible study.”

Carla was silent for a moment. “Honestly, it sounds like you’re too busy not to go to Bible study.”

Janelle paused in slicing chicken breasts. “What on earth does that mean?”

“When’s the last time you had a quiet moment with God?”

Janelle set down the knife and leaned against the counter. “I don’t honestly know.”

“I think that might be the problem.”

Janelle frowned. “But I just told you how busy I am. How can I add one more thing to my schedule?”

“Can I share something from the Bible with you? Rustling pages told Janelle Carla was already searching for her next words.

Janelle glanced at the clock, and then started chopping veggies. “Sure. Go ahead.”

“You’re familiar with the story where Jesus multiplies the loaves and the fishes.”

“Of course.”

“Do you know what happened before that?

Janelle bit her bottom lip, thinking. “No, I don’t think so.”

“John the Baptist was killed. The Bible says when Jesus heard of it, he went to a deserted place. He wanted time to himself to pray. But the people found Him. He healed them, taught them, and fed them. He was able to do a great miracle right after learning His friend died.”

Janelle huffed. “I’m not Jesus, Carla. I can’t do miracles after praying.”

“Of course not. But if even Jesus needed to take time to pray, shouldn’t you?”

 Carla waited a beat, and then, not getting a response, continued. “Listen to what happened next. After Jesus fed the crowds, He then went off to a quiet place. He didn’t preach to everyone in the world. He didn’t heal everyone in the country. He had the most important work of all to do, but He knew He couldn’t be effective if He didn’t take time to be with His Father in prayer. After being strengthened by God through prayer, Jesus then walked on water to get to the disciples. Yet another miracle, only made possible because Jesus stayed grounded in God’s word.”

Janelle threw the veggies into the pan, where they sizzled. She stirred them with a spoon, pondering Carla’s words. “So you’re saying if I don’t stay grounded in prayer, everything else will be overwhelming?”

The smile in Carla’s voice came through in her words. “Exactly. If Jesus needed to be renewed by prayer, how much more do we need to be? Whenever I skip time with the Lord for a while, my life seems more unmanageable and chaotic. But when He is my focus, everything else comes into place.”

Janelle added the chicken and sauce to the pan and reduced the heat. After washing her hands, she took a seat at the table. “Huh.”

Carla laughed. “That’s what you have to say about that? Huh?”

“It’s a lot to take in.”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

Janelle bit her lip. “I think I might need to join you for Bible study tonight.”

Matthew 14:12-23

John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.

“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

God, even Jesus needed to take time to pray. Even as God Himself, He never neglected His relationship with You. How much more do we need to stop what we’re doing and spend time with You. Thank You for strengthening us through prayer. Thank You for always hearing our prayers. Please help us prioritize time with You, to put You first in our lives. When we do, it is amazing how much we’re able to handle, with Your help. It is such a blessing to know You always want to hear from us, Your children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.