The Mountains Are CallingSample

An Intimate God: Mount Desolate

Shortly after Jesus began his earthly ministry, according to Mark’s gospel: “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

Jesus’s retreat to private prayer and reflection is one of the consistent themes we find in Luke’s gospel as well. Luke gives four instances in the life of Jesus to show how this was a routine for him. Oftentimes after Jesus performed miracles, large crowds would surround him, but he would break away and find a private place of devotion. 

There is no doubt that some of these desolate places were mountains. Jesus loved going up to higher ground and praying. He did this before choosing his disciples: “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12).

Jesus prayed on a mountain before Peter’s great confession of faith and before he walked on water. He went up to a mountain to pray with his inner circle of disciples before he was transfigured before them. He went up to “a certain place,” to a mountain, and his disciples saw him, followed him, and asked him to teach them how to pray. 

When I read of Jesus’s mountain retreats, how he got alone to be with his Father, conviction rises in my heart. If Jesus made the choice to be apart from the crowds and disciples to spend time with his Father, shouldn’t I do the same? 

Jesus’s time with his Father was vital for his life and work. These intimate times with God are when the Father revives and restores us as well. It’s when God whispers in our hearts and shows us the way. It’s on these desolate mountains with God that he grants us wisdom and gives us direction. 

If within you feel a bit chaotic, then maybe the first step is to start your journey toward the Mount Desolate. Identify what’s in the way, and remove it from being a barrier. Because a little time spent routinely on this mountain can change your life and maybe even the lives of those around you. 

What is one practical thing you could change about your routine this week to free you to spend more time alone with God?