Skip to main content

61. Even Jesus Needed A Quiet Time


Key Verse:  Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place where He prayed. 
Mark 1:35

If Jesus couldn't do it without time alone to commune with the Father, what makes us think that we can?  Jesus had a busy Sabbath and evening the day before.  Yet, instead of resting up, or rewarding Himself with a break from ministry, He got up early and went off to pray, which is often hard work!  He took the time to center again on His purpose for coming. 

Contrast Jesus' quietness with the frenzied behavior of the disciples.  Where was the master?  Didn't He know that there were more sick people needing healing?  The appointment calendar is filling up!  Where could He be?

Their plan was to open up shop right there in Capernaum.  Jesus could just stay put at Peter's house and heal people all day long!  They had it all worked out, just like we do with our planners and programs and lists and appointments to keep.  After all, here was the chance to become important to their neighbors!  They could become, "somebody!"  Fame was just around the corner!  The disciples were somewhat frantic and harried.  They had it all figured out.  They had not, however, checked with Jesus. 

"To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.  All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord."  (Proverbs 16:1-2) Imagine the disciples' shock when they found Jesus and He told them, "it's time to move on."  Move on?  But they had it made here!  Why move on?  They were obviously needed!  There were still more people who needed to be blessed!  If funds ran low, Jesus could just make another massive catch of fish for them to eat and sell.  Why move on?

What they didn't understand, and what we often miss as well, is that Jesus placed more value, on His preaching ministry than His healing ministry.  He had not come just to heal some people physically who would end up dying eventually anyway.  He came for a greater purpose, to proclaim to as many as possible the knowledge of God's love.  He came to bring more than healing, He came to bring hope to a weary, sin laden people who knew no real way out of their misery but death in the end.  Physical healing is only temporary.  No matter what the healing that we, or anyone may experience, eventually, we will all grow old, lose our ability to hear, see or walk.  Our bodies are made of corruptible seed that can't help but break down and eventually die.  Jesus knew that His Word, however, would last forever.  That's what He had to spread as far and wide as He could.  Some could be blessed by healing, but all would be blessed by His Word. 

Was Jesus tempted to settle down in Capernaum?  We'll never know.  What we do know is that in His quiet times alone with the Father, He drew strength to maintain the focus on His purpose and calling.  How can we get by with less?  Following His example, it is in our quiet times with the Lord, in our prayer and meditation and or devotional readings (such as this one you are doing now), that we too can be strengthened and renewed to stay, or move on, in whatever He is calling us to. 

Hymn: Sweet Hour of Prayer This one for the words

"Sweet Hour of Prayer" This one to be amazed!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

211. The Sons of Thunder's Request

Matthew 20:20-28 , Mark 10:35-45 , Key verse: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." Mark 10:43B-44 In our readings for yesterday, in which Jesus outlined what was about to happen to Him, for His disciples, the passage in Luke ends: "The disciples did not understand any of this. It's meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what He was talking about." ( Luke 18:34 ) Now, we see just how truly clueless they were. Jesus had laid out a plan before them of pain and suffering and death and now James and John are focused on a promotion. The disconnect is so obvious. It's really not important to know whether James and john came up with this request on their own or if their mother put them up to it. The request was made and James and John thought that they could handle the responsibility that would come with it. What is that saying, "Fools rush in where angels fe...

These Boots are Made for Walking

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-15 These Boots are Made for Walking. Of course, I picked that title because it has a reference to popular culture, and it connects with our text today about “feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” I was tempted to play the video of that song, but it’s really not amenable to worship. If you remember that old song, it was quite confrontational. The singer had a righteous complaint against a boyfriend or spouse who was cheating on her. She’s not going to put up with that, and the song goes on to say, “One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you!” And that “take a stand” bravado made her a hero! It was a #1 hit in 1966. I mention it because it has one interesting parallel and one major contrast with the message of grace and forgiveness. That parallel is this. God has a righteous complaint against the entire human race for cheating Him out of the loving relationship He desires with us. As the God who created us, he h...

186. Ten Healed, Or One?

Luke 17:11-19 Key Verse: Then He said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17:19 At last, Jesus has left the crowd behind and again is continuing His journey toward Jerusalem. His path takes Him and His disciples along the border of Judea and Samaria, between the pure Jews, and the hated half breeds of the day. On His way, Jesus encounters an interesting group of people. We only learn the nationality of one of them and, though we don't know the nationality of the others, because Jesus sends them to the priests in Jerusalem we can probably assume that at least some of them are Jews. Isn't it interesting that through leprosy, a disease that causes much suffering, the dividing wall of hatred has come down for the sake of companionship? We encountered one leper earlier on our Journey. Lepers were the dreaded untouchables of the day. Their disease cut them off from all they loved. It was a very lonely life. No wonder these people had ...