Reflection

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

The evening is a great time of day to take time to look back, take stock, and reflect on the events of the day—whether good or bad. A time of the day that we can look over what we have accomplished. And it is a time for careful thought and evaluation, for thanksgiving, and for prayer.

Jesus had a similar practice during His earthly ministry. At the end of a wearying and demanding day, He went up on a mountain by Himself for a few moments of reflection and prayer in the presence of His Father (See Matthew 14:23).

The value of the quiet presence of our heavenly Father and the careful examination of how we have engaged life on a given day has great significance. Perhaps this was the goal of the apostle Paul’s challenge for us to redeem the time (See Ephesians 5:16); that is, to make sure we are making the best use of the time God gives us for living and serving.

As the day winds to a close, take some time for quiet reflection. In the serenity of the evening, we can, in God’s presence, get a more accurate perspective on life and how we are living it.