Get Yourself Alone

"And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there."
~Matthew 14:23
I heard someone talking about this verse on the radio this weekend, and he applied it to our lives in a way I hadn't really thought about before. A summary of what he said goes something like this:
Do you ever feel like you have so much on your plate, so many things to do, that you don't have a moment to yourself? Or even more importantly, that you don't have a moment to spend with God? In many ways, we can compare that to the life of Jesus. He was constantly healing and teaching. He had to train his disciples so they'd know how to "do their jobs," so to speak. He rarely had a moment to Himself. But this verse, Matthew 14:23, shows that among his healing, teaching, feeding five thousand, and calming a stormy sea, He took time out to "get Himself alone" and pray and talk with His Father.
Spending time with God is important. It helps to keep us focused, stable, energized and ready to face each day and each obstacle with the right outlook and mindset. It refreshes and rejuvinates our spirit. We need that quiet time alone with Him daily. Not always an easy task in today's busy world of multitasking and overbooked schedules. But as Jesus' example shows, it is possible.
Lately I've found it hard to keep myself motivated to read my Bible and pray daily. It frustrates me, too, because I know it's something I need every day, and I tend to feel better, in many different ways, when I read and pray daily. But heck, Jesus' plate was a whole lot fuller than mine's ever been (well, except maybe when I was in college full-time and working 20 hours a week). Jesus found the time...who am I to say I don't have the time?
Just something to think about...