Matt.14:13 – TPT – On hearing this, Jesus slipped away privately by boat to be alone. But when the crowds discovered he had sailed away, they emerged from all the nearby towns and followed him on foot.
Sometimes being alone is a necessity, solitude is often the only reset for the emotional demand that life puts on all of us. Jesus was no different, He was a man and the problems and struggles of life, especially a life committed to ministry, mount up and take a huge toll on us. All Jesus wanted was solitude, a place to reflect and pray in light of recent events. The prophet John had been killed, it appeared to the Lord that His timeline was accelerating, being alone with God in the countryside was quite appealing. It wasn’t going to happen, the crowds were increasing and they followed Jesus to the other side of the lake. His response speaks volumes to everyone involved in any level of ministry, when you are hurting, find individuals in more trouble than you are and minister to them, this is picking up our cross rather than putting ourselves first. This is the way of the cross and the way of signs and wonders. Here is how Barclay described this moment.
“There were three perfectly simple and natural reasons why Jesus should seek to be alone. He was human and he needed rest. He never recklessly ran into danger, and it was best to withdraw and avoid the possibility of sharing John’s fate too soon. And, most of all, with the cross coming nearer and nearer, Jesus knew that he must meet with God before he met with men and women. He was seeking rest for his body and strength for his soul in the lonely places. But he was not to get it. It would be easy to see the boat set sail and to deduce where it was going; and the crowds flocked round the top of the lake and were waiting for him at the other side when he arrived. So Jesus healed them and, when the evening came, he fed them before they took the long road home. Few of Jesus’ miracles are so revealing as this.”
This story has effected my life and ministry in a very important way over the last three decades. The Lord has taught us to take our eyes off of our problems, trust the Lord to take care of you as you reach out and take care of His people. This was the way Jesus lived His life, this is the way of His disciples, this is the way of the cross.
