‘As soon as Jesus heard the news, He left in a boat to a remote area to be alone.’ Matt 14:13 NLT

Our Lord Jesus had just received the bad news that John the Baptist had been beheaded. He wanted to be alone. Perhaps He needed time to process the whole event and to spend time with His Father. His childhood friend, cousin and most loyal supporter had been beheaded. We don’t know who was with him in the boat, but we know He wasn’t alone. The presence of the Almighty was there with Him.

Recently, in our garden, I could hear a lot of squawking from a resident blackbird. When I went into the garden to see what all the noise was about, a magpie was hovering, probably attempting to find the eggs in the nearby nest. I didn’t do anything but stand silently in the garden, but it was enough to drive the magpie away, and soon peace resumed.

Sometimes, the devil looms large in our lives or circumstances, as I’m sure he did on this occasion in the mind of our Lord. Occasionally, we find ourselves squawking with fear! When the enemy intimidates, the presence of our Heavenly Father is enough to drive him away.

When life is troubling and threatening and dark clouds attempt to rob us of peace, we must learn to do what our Lord did. Sometimes we yearn for the steadying hand or voice of a familiar friend. Let us learn to turn to the One whose calming presence brings total peace within our hearts. When we have learned to find Him once in this way, we can come again and again into His presence and find the quiet reassurance of His peace, no matter what life has in store for us.

‘And He said, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”‘ Exodus 33:14 KJB