It had been a crazy-busy day for Jesus.
The apostles had returned from a two-by-two missionary expedition, anxiously telling him all that they had done and taught. A crowd of thousands had been taught and miraculously fed with five loaves and two fish. The sting of rejection in his own hometown was still fresh. John the Baptist had only recently been beheaded by King Herod and Jesus’ name had become known.
It had been a crazy-busy day.
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. (Mark 6:45-46)
Take a moment to reflect on what Mark is telling us. These details are included for a reason:
- Jesus made his disciples get into a boat and leave
- He dismissed the crowd
- He took his leave of everyone
- He went up on a mountain
WHY? To PRAY.
Intimacy with God doesn’t happen by accident. We do not unintentionally stumble into deeper relationship with our Savior. Communion with the Creator doesn’t happen by chance.
It had been a crazy-busy day and Jesus made time for prayer. He purposefully created distance between himself and other people. He deliberately sought out a desolate place in order to draw closer to his Father.
If Jesus recognized that need, shouldn’t I? If Jesus did whatever was necessary to “turn down the noise” and incline his heart heavenward, shouldn’t you?