This little verse right here is why I want to do this study. I would have skipped right over it, and there's no telling how many times I have done just that while reading this passage. But now I'm being "forced" to stop and take a look at it, and I think that's the point.
When confronted with a problem/situation/whatever you want to call it, Jesus went off. Alone.
Aloneness is frowned on in our society. In our constantly connected state, even our "alone" times are not really alone. We have the radio on while we take a shower, the tv on while we get dressed, radio again for the drive to work, and then the email/phone/meeting chaos starts! It's no wonder we suffer from anxiety and insomnia and all sorts of other stuff... our brains never get a chance to shut off. Maybe what we need is a little more quiet time. Meditation time. To withdraw to a mountain by ourselves. For me, I've been trying to leave my radio off during my morning commute. It gives me time to focus on the day ahead, pray, and generally get my brain going in the right direction. Clutter-free. And I really, truly want to do even better because it really, truly helps.
Give yourself permission to do a brain shut-down now and again. Jesus did.
