“When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali…” — Matthew 4:12-13
There is an astonishing amount of travel involved in Jesus’s public ministry, considering the fact that walking was the main mode of transportation at the time. In Matthew 3:13, we see Jesus traveling from Galilee to be baptized in the Jordan River. This is probably a journey of thirty-ish miles. If He is tired from the journey, He doesn’t rest. Instead, He leaves immediately for the wilderness, where He will face temptation by the Devil (Matthew 4:1).
Soon Jesus will be in nearly perpetual motion, traveling back and forth throughout Galilee and surrounding areas—going out from His home base in Capernaum to teach and preach in the surrounding towns. Initially, His journeying is over relatively flat terrain, enabling Him to cover a lot of ground. While Jesus faces some rejection early on from the people in His hometown, it increases dramatically by the end of His life.
Jesus climbs the Mount of Transfiguration, where He is prepared for the death that lies ahead. Then He turns resolutely toward Jerusalem, making the Passover ascent into the city. One man surrounded by a crowd— whose cheers on the day of His arrival will turn to jeers as Jesus makes His final and steepest ascent—to a cross one a hilltop outside of the city.
Jesus moves steadily forward on the uphill climb, just the same as if it were level ground. The mountaintop the same as the valley. Leaning on the Father to guide and sustain Him.
Prayer: Father, help us to walk like Jesus. Leaning on You, whether we are on the level ground of easy circumstances or the steep ascent of hardship. Amen.
