Title
Know When to Come Apart
Scripture
And when He sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.
(Matthew 14:23)
Devotional
The more we are exposed to the multitudes, the more we need to be alone. If what you do requires you to be available to people, you must come apart or you will fall apart. For every hour of public ministry you most likely will require ten hours of personal time. I am not speaking of time watching entertainment or rest; I am talking about ten hours of preparation. There is little more demanding than public speaking. Whether a business meeting or preaching to a congregation, preparedness is imperative. There will be the temptation to remain in high gear. However, there must be a downshifting. Jesus was in great demand. I am sure that people came from many miles to see and hear Him. Nevertheless He understood the need to be alone and reflect on the ministry to which He was called. He understood that He had to spend time with His Father. Likewise, He realized that His disciples needed to spend personal time with Him.