Matthew 14 - Alone - AYWJ 03
I love the parts of the Gospels that remind us that Jesus was a human like each of us. Him running off on his own at 12, him acting rather grouchy at times, him crying at the death of Lazarus, him crying out in anguish on the cross, and in this chapter. His cousin John has just been executed by Herod Antipas and in verse 13 we read that Jesus tried to go off on his own, presumably to grieve and to pray.
Even though there is a rather significant interruption by a huge crowd of people, Jesus still works to have his needed time alone.- After the 5,000+ were fed, the Gospel reads that immediately Jesus dismissed the crowd and went off by himself once again.
Alone time - We all need it - not being lonely but alone...alone with thoughts, feelings, prayers, dreams, silence, spirit, nature. This picture is one of my favorite alone places. A single bench on a nature trail. It is a perfect place to simply be - regardless of whether I go there with a heavy heart or a lightness of spirit. I am grateful for it.