Dear Friends,
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Simon and his companion went to look for Him and when they found Him, they exclaimed ‘Everyone is looking for you!’ Jesus replied, ‘Let’s go someplace else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’”
Large crowds followed Jesus wherever He went. Some followers loved Him and were convinced He was the Messiah. Others were awestruck at witnessing miracles. Some followed because they were curious. Still others followed to test and discredit Him. Each follower had an agenda.
Some ministry wives consider the words “Everybody is looking for you” to be a great compliment; being needed boosts their self-esteem. But catering to the crowd makes our lives chaotic and confused. We end up doing other folks trumped-up missions rather than our God-given ones. And, sadly, those looking for us often don’t have our best interests at heart. They ignore our privacy boundaries. The people at Capernaum who were looking for Jesus probably had their own agendas, and they were willing to violate His privacy boundaries to see that their priorities were accomplished. After seeing what Jesus could do and contemplating how He could further their plans, they were up early looking for Him, possibly for selfish or negative reasons. I doubt they wanted to serve Him a hot breakfast or clean His sandals!
Fast-forward 2,000 years. As ministry wives, we can relate to the fact that Jesus was tired of being surrounded by people. We, too, seek privacy, time for prayer and meditation to sort out our lives and priorities. We yearn for wisdom to do the right thing without being told what we should be doing in the church, how our kids should be raised, and what we should wear.
This text reminds us that Jesus left those who were looking for Him and went somewhere else. Consider some personal observations:
(1) Jesus needed quiet time.
(2) Jesus knew His mission and ministry. Nothing could distract Him from what God had called Him to do. The people’s agenda did not become His agenda.
(3) Jesus didn’t base the success of His ministry on public opinion (or church opinion).
(4) Jesus actively pursued His mission.
So, dear ones, think on this brief insight into the life of Jesus. Next time you are tempted to give up, give in, or just go with the tide of public opinion and wear yourself out, ask God for the strength to stay on His track!
Your friend in Jesus,
Sharon