By David ReayMonday 24 Aug 2020LifeWords DevotionalsDevotionsReading Time: 2 minutes
Yet the news about him spread all the more, and enormous crowds collected to hear Jesus and to be healed of their diseases. But he slipped quietly away to deserted places for prayer. (JBP)
It doesn’t seem right that Jesus, confronted by great crowds of needy people, should slip quietly away from them. All those genuine needs, all his capacity to help. All put aside so as to go off to pray.
Why? Jesus’ life and ministry was carried out in utter obedience to his Father. He didn’t do his own thing. He didn’t march to the beat of his own drum. Or even to the drumbeats of the desperate crowd. That was why he was so fruitful. He got his marching orders from God, not his own desire to please others. Or his being overwhelmed by all the need and so feeling he had to meet each and every need.
None of us can meet every need of every person. Not all issues can be addressed by us. Not all problems can be solved by us. Each and every day, we are to spend such time with our Father that through the day we will be guided by his Spirit to do what he wants us to do. And so we have less risk of becoming frantic and a greater possibility of being fruitful.
It is not as if withdrawing from activity to pray is somehow lazy or cowardly. We retreat to pray in order that we might better advance to serve Jesus and others. Only as we cease our restless doing will we find out what truly needs to be done.
Blessings
David