Making Time

As I was reading Matthew 14, I noticed something that I hadn't caught before in my reading of this chapter. It was very thought provoking when I began to really think about the application for my life. In verses 1-12 we see the story of John the Baptist being beheaded. Verse 13 says, "When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat to a solitary place." As we often see, the people followed Him. Verse 14 says, "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick." In verses 15-21 we see that Jesus feeds the 5,000. Verse 22-23 says, "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray." Jesus' goal after hearing of John the Baptist was to go be alone in a solitary place. But because the people followed Him he could not. So when He saw the large crowd He had compassion on them and healed their sick. Because it was getting late the disciples wanted Him to send the people away so they could get something to eat, but instead Jesus feeds them. Afterwards He sent his disciples on ahead of Him, dismissed the people, and finally went up on the mountainside to pray. He still made sure He got alone with His Father. So I began to look at my life and ask :what am I doing to make sure I get alone with God? When my children get up before I do and is not quiet and I go about my busy day homeschooling and taking care of the home, do I make sure I go to a solitary place and spend time with my Father? Jesus served the people but He also made time to be alone to pray! I believe He also so it as an important or urgent thing because v22 starts with the word "immediately". Do I see the urgency in spending time with the Father? Or do I recognize the the urgency but don't follow through and obey? Heavy thoughts from God's Word!!