“He climbed the mountain so He could be by Himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.” (Matthew 14:23 MSG)
After a full day of ministry, Jesus climbed a mountain, alone, to pray. the inclusion of the mountain climbing in this text reminds us that prayer isn’t always easy. The conversation doesn’t always flow. Sometimes we arrive on scene exhausted and then pray is an act of the will, an exertion of spiritual strength that we don’t necessarily feel.
If we look at context, we see that Jesus had just spent Himself on a full day of ministry. He had fed the five thousand spiritually and physically. For me, after a full day in the pulpit and with people, I’m ready to go home and nap it off. But Jesus took His exhaustion another route and it’s a good thing He did. This verse is nestled in a small trough between an all day preaching event and the dispossession of the demoniac at Geneseret. Jesus could have taken a power nap, but instead He decided to power up in prayer. He willfully went up the mount to wake up and pray up.
What do we do when we are wiped out? Do we look over our day for a window to grab a couple quick winks? Or do we head up the mountain in search of fresh infilling? Our Jesus found the resources He needed in time with His Father. What will we choose?
“Here’s what I want you to do: find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God and you will begin to sense His grace.” (Matthew 6:6 MSG)
Lord, we get tired. Let us learn to go to You. Give us the gumption to climb the mountain in pursuit of Your presence. Let us settle for nothing less than You. Amen.