The Lord had challenged the scribes and Pharisees about whether it was lawful on the Sabbath day to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it. They would not answer Him, and He healed the man with a withered hand. But the scribes and Pharisees knew no shame, and, driven by madness, they plotted to destroy Him. Did they honestly consider their hatred and their conspiracy to commit murder to be more lawful than His gracious healing of this man?

The Lord Jesus was not intimidated by hateful opposition. The enemy could easily change from one tactic to another, but nothing could be successful in moving Him from the path of obedience to His Father’s will. Thus, the determined opposition of the enemy is answered by His continuing all night in prayer to God. Who can doubt what the burden of His prayer was at this time? He will not turn back. He will not in any way give in to the enemy. The work of God must go on. So He spends the night in prayer, and in the morning He appoints twelve apostles to be with Him. When persecuted, the appeal of Jesus was not to men nor to man’s government, but to God, and the work was increased rather than crushed. Blessed, faithful Servant indeed!

May we learn to partake of the same purpose of heart in steadfastly continuing in prayer for the work of God, no matter how imposing the obstacles might be. Pray for grace and strength to go on, even though it might take the whole night. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).