Matthew 14:24  “The boat was a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. ”

Night is for sleep, not for sailing a boat across a tempestuous lake for no reason at all except Jesus told them to do so – and he had just fed 5,000+ people. How could they have refused to obey him?  They must have been baffled that Jesus did not go with them into their night of trial, but simply told them to go to the other side and then went up into the mountain alone, into a safe place where there was no natural storm, to pray.  This must have left his disciples in a dither.  How could he leave them now?  They probably asked this question more than once that memorable night.

I believe Jesus needed to talk with his Father about what next. He was well aware of the fact that news of the feeding of the multitude will spread like wildfire in the Land. Then what? Jesus knew that the storm clouds were rising over his own head as he moved closer and closer to the reason for his being here – to atone for sin by becoming a sin offering, hanging on a wooden cross of shame.

Another thing that Jesus had in mind was probably the needs of his selected twelve. They would learn that night lessons that shaped their entire lives.  He left them alone as they learned some basic lessons.  He left them, knowing full well that they were about to experience a life-threatening night of intense storm.

All of us who walk with Jesus, and He with us, live by faith which means that we understand little but experience much mercy and grace.  When asked what exigencies of life mean to us, we can smile at our lack of understanding and just get on with the next thing at hand with a warm heart toward our gracious Lord.