After dismissing the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Well into the night, he was there alone.
Jesus often drew a crowd as He went from town to town. That was the case here. In Matthew 14 we find that Jesus was told that John the Baptist had been killed. The prophet who came before Jesus, was now dead. Verse 13 tells us that “When Jesus heard about it (John’s death), He withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns.”
Jesus sought to be alone, but the crowds went to where He was headed and were waiting for Jesus when He arrived. Jesus could have sought to go somewhere to be alone, but He saw their need and ministered to them. Jesus healed, taught, and when evening came, He fed 5,000 plus people with a mere five loaves of bread and two fish. Afterward He sent the disciples into the boat to go ahead of Him and then as verse 23 tells us, He dismissed the crowds and then found a place to be alone to pray.
Life can be difficult. Ministering to the crowd would have been physically, and spiritually draining, especially after learning of the death of John the Baptist, but it is something He did, and something we all may do at some point in our lives. Jesus knew that He had to get away to rest, and pray. We also must make sure that we take time to rest physically, to pray, and to rest in the Lord so He can renew our strength.
If Jesus took time alone to be with the Father in prayer, then how much more should we find that time to be alone with God in prayer.
What can you do this week to get alone with God?
Discussion Questions
- When Jesus went in the boat, He was seeking to get somewhere to be alone, but the crowds went ahead of Him which kept Him from having that time alone with the Father. What keeps you from spending time alone with God?
- After feeding the 5,000, it is very likely that Jesus was physically tired. If you were tired from a busy day, do you think that you could find time to be alone to pray? If you could, then how long do you think that prayer would be? Jesus was there alone well into the night.
End in prayer thanking God for always being there for us. Thanking Him for the busy seasons and asking Him to help you find time that can be alone with Him. Asking Him to give you the strength to put aside things that distract you so you can focus on Him. Consider ending by encouraging everyone to find a place where they can be alone and pray by themselves (as appropriate with the age of your children), spending time with their Heavenly Father, and help them find a place where they can spend time alone in the house with God on a regular basis.
