31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31
Thought: As the disciples walked with Jesus towards Jerusalem, do you think they were dealing with any kind of stressors, anxieties, or worries? What kind of questions do you think went through their minds? Consider these: Why am I following Jesus? Where are we going? Who was taking care of their families? If he is the Messiah, how will he confront Rome and do I want to be a part of that? Where are we going to eat and sleep tonight? Since several of the disciples were fishermen, how were their businesses doing? When will I be able to be with my family again?
Although they were going along with Jesus, they surely weren’t certain they knew who he was, or even what he was about. Most of the disciples came from the Jewish faith. Do you suppose one of them might have breathed a prayer such as “Oh God, I don’t have control of anything anymore—I don’t know where I ‘m going or what is ahead of me, help me, God.”
People who are knowledgeable in spiritual growth tell us that until we set aside our long list of problems, needs, and anxieties, we will never have a one-on-one relationship with our loving God. Jesus often sought silence and solitude to pray and seek God’s direction. No matter where we are in our busy, noisy world, we can do the same, but it will take practice, patience, and perseverance.
The quest of seeking God’s presence and direction may seem overwhelming until we remember that Jesus told us we would have all the help we need in discovering what we must know in order to live fully as his disciples. He said, “the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).We are not left on our own to learn how to pray or how to discern God’s will; our Counselor, the Holy Spirit, is our teacher and guide as we learn how to live more faithfully and fully in relationship with God.
The only way we can have a closer, more meaningful relationship with God is to remove some of life’s clutter. How often do we come to God—not with a request or need—but simply with the desire to spend time with God, and to discover what God wants from us and not what we want from God? It is God who chooses to make our way known to us, and it is God who does the revealing, leading, and instructing.
Today’s disciples deal with many of the same “wonderings” as did those original twelve disciples. Life isn’t easy for most, and many of the problems people face are overwhelming. As the disciples asked “Where are we going?” many people in today’s world are asking the same question. The world is looking for something to believe in, something real, something tangible.
Don’t run—walk. Don’t walk—sit. Don’t talk—listen. Don’t worry —believe. Just as Jesus was counting on the twelve disciples, God is counting on us to reflect His divine love to every life we touch.
Prayer: Jesus, help me sort out what’s most important in my life, and what’s not. Amen.
Questions:
1. What could you rearrange to get at least ten more minutes a day with God?
2. Are your prayers filled with "asking" or "listening" to God?
1. What could you rearrange to get at least ten more minutes a day with God?
2. Are your prayers filled with "asking" or "listening" to God?
