"So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed."
Luke was reporting on yet another busy time for Jesus. He had just healed a man of leprosy. Jesus charged the man to tell no one, but to show himself to the priests and make an offering for his healing in their honor. But somehow the news spread throughout the area and the word grew and the people flocked to Him. Luke notes that "great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities". (Luke 5:14)
So Jesus once again found Himself surrounded by people, engulfed by the very ones He strove to teach. He knew He needed to talk with God, to seek counsel from His Father. Yet how could He do so when so many crowded around? How could He even hear Himself speak over the noise of the throngs around Him? He could find a quiet place in the wilderness, away from the mass and the sounds of humanity, in the stillness of being by Himself. And there He prayed. He lifted His voice to God, and quietly listened for His Father's reply.
It isn't that Jesus didn't love the people and want them around Him. Just the opposite is true, for He truly loved them, and still loves us today. And He needed them around to hear His word, to learn His way. But He needed the solitude He could find only when away from the crowd, He needed the stillness of being by Himself so He could hear His Father's reply.
When we pray, we need to find our own place of stillness. We must stop for a moment and listen for God's answer. We should strive for open communications with God, and that requires listening to Him as well as talking. So stop what you are doing, find some place of stillness and pray. God wants to answer.
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