When Jesus hears of the death of John the Baptist he seeks to be alone and ends up in a "desolate place" with over 5,000 people whose sick He heals and then He feeds them miraculously. When He had been baptized by John, Jesus went to a desolate place to be tempted by satan. Those temptations began with questioning Jesus' identity, "if you are the son of God..." Was Jesus wondering what was going on when John was beheaded, if so, it was certainly affirmed that the work would continue that day.
As Jacob heads home after leaving Laban, he hears Esau and 400 men are coming to meet him and he was greatly afraid. After sending his family, his servants and flocks and herds on ahead and went back by himself across the Jabbok river. There, that night, in the form of a man or angel, God met him and wrestled all night with Jacob, dislocated his hip, changed his name and blessed him. After 20 years away from home after stealing Esau's blessing, and all that happened in those years, Jacob returns and is afraid to deal with his brother who had promised to kill him. Instead, the first thing that had to be dealt with was Jacob himself and his fears. He had work to do before he could meet his brother.
Desolate places come in all shapes and sizes and so do God's answers to our prayers.
