“AND STRAIGHTWAY He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people. And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.”
The day is ended — the people fed and full of wonder at their experiences — so much so that we read in John’s Gospel they were willing to make Him their king at this time. But Jesus knew this was not a real work of conviction, but only being impressed with things they saw and so He dismisses them.
We look back on this busy scene and notice how the Lord had so freely given Himself, first in comforting His disciples, then in ministering to the multitude, and finally in providing food for them. Truly this faithful Servant had no thought of His own comfort or needs, but ample supply for all who came to Him. We may wonder that He was able to do all this without fainting for very weariness (for He was a “man among men"). The secret of Jesus’ strength and power of ministry was in His absolute dependence on His Father. We know that He “came not to do His own will, but the will of Him who sent Him” and although He had every right and authority to do so, yet never expressed or sought His own will, for, as Mark 10:4545For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45) tells us: “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister [or serve], and to give His life a ransom for many.”
So, in this attitude of dependence, He seeks a time to be alone, that He might pray to His Father. We are not informed of the words of this prayer, but most certainly He spoke to God of His needs and His continued delight in doing the Father’s will, and He drew from that prayer strength and comfort for His pathway as the perfect Servant.
It is well for believers to know this same pattern of looking to God to every service we may be called to in the Lord’s name. This is not public prayer (proper in its place), but private communion “alone on the mountain” or in the secret of the closet, that will be such a source of confidence in God and provide rewed faith and energy for His service. God is aware of our every need when we seek to serve Him and will point the way and provide strength for that service, if we go to Him in faith and dependence.
“And He saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night He cometh unto them...” The Lord has never forgotten His disciples and is well aware of their rough experiences on the sea. The reader will surely have known something, too, of troubled seas in his life and perhaps has “toiled in rowing,” trying to overcome problems and circumstances. Our enemy, Satan, is typified by the strong wind that produced the contrary waves, and he is indeed ever contrary to all of the Lord’s people. It is a common experience for us to be “tossed with waves” and find that all our “rowing” does no good. How helpless we feel!
But Jesus is superior, both to the rough sea and to Satan himself, and He appears in the fourth watch of the night to the benefit of His own. Christian friend, we are indeed now historically in that “fourth watch of the night!” The One for Whom our faith has been looking will soon come and take us out of this troubled scene. May we be watching for Him! But it is a happy thing to open our eyes now, too, and know that while we are still on the rough waters, He is right near at hand.
“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him.” Ps. 145:18.
ML-08/18/1963