I have been bad about keeping my appointments with my God lately. Thankfully, He is full of grace and paitently waits for me to return - doesn't refuse to see me or charge me a fee for missing an appointment.
There is so much here... where to start? As my time is likely limited, I'll start with what I heard loudest and go from there.
In this chapter, Jesus sends out his disciples. He tells them to take only the clothes on their backs - to make no advanced plans and to serve and preach like crazy. Later they return and tell Jesus all the things they had done and what they had taught. And then Jesus told them to "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while."
My job is tough. Even though I have a good boss in my Pastor and a GREAT boss in my God, sometimes I get weary in my service. It can be hard to worship, learn and just "be" when people are looking for you because you "have all the answers and the solution to every problem". (if only I did!). My spiritual battery runs low sometimes. I believe that I need the teaching of my Pastor, that my own perspective can be flawed sometimes. I'm not a very deep thinker. I can miss some of the intricacies and cool things in God's Word. Don't get me wrong, I know that God can speak to me directly (why else would I be here at 6:30 in the morning). I just hold the tradition of "church" in high regard.
I wish I had the time right now to look into the Greek, well really I wish I had the skills to look into the Greek (I'll have to ask about that - I can be taught). I have a feeling that the "yourselves" in the text is meant personally not collectively - that Jesus wanted his men to go off have some alone time and rest. That's the call I continue to hear - Be immersed in His word, in songs of praise and worship to him. That I need to focus on my walk and as I do the rest will come into place and I'll prepared for the next time I have to feed 5,000 or make last minute copies for Sunday School, or...
I asked a Pastor about the "yourselves". He thinks it's a collective yourselves; that Jesus was organizing a retreat. A retreat that was interupted by the feeding of 5,000. He uses that passage to show what God can do when people are tired, worn out and feel used up.
ReplyDeleteI guess either way, it's about serving from the overflow and not in the flesh.
Thanks for this wonderful post! I love coming here and reading what God is revealing to you! I am so glad that God waits on me when I miss my appointments with him, for lately I have missed a lot.
ReplyDeleteI noticed in your profile discription up there you call you husband surferman. Is that because he is a surfer-man? Ha ha. I was just wondering because mine is.
You encourage me to immerse myself more in His word daily, thanks!
My husband is an avid longboarder. His favorite board is over 12'. What he lacks in style and grace, he makes up for and more in his love and enthusiasm for the sport.
ReplyDeleteHe got his superhero nickname after a dangerous battle with The Possum (that's a story I'll have to blog sometime).
I call our 17 month old son Grom (short for Grommet - a young surfer) for safety. Surferman takes Grom sand surfing whenever they can. Grom clings to a body board while dad pulls the board up and down the beach. It's quite a site to see, Grom howls with joy.