But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and be cured of their diseases. But he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
Luke 5:15-16
I love those verses. They’re so freeing! Many of us would use those circumstances to justify busyness and acting like martyrs for the cause in the process while also using it as an excuse to place any sort of devotional life well into the background if it exists at all. Jesus placed the latter front and centre. My guess is that he knew he really couldn’t serve those people without that alone time being the foundation everything else flowed from thus he made everything else make way for it. He carved that space out. Jesus was a contemplative. His life was devoted primarily to his union with the Father.