Year 6, Day 188: Matthew 14

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Abide

• Abide: This is a moment, day, or even a season when we focus on God.  It is a time when we are rejuvenated by God.  It is the time for us to gather up what we will need for the coming growth after a season of pruning.  However, abiding is not the end.  We abide so that we can grow, bear fruit, prune, and abide again.

Jesus understand the need to rest.  Jesus understands the need to commune with the Father.  He understands the need to search deep within Himself, evaluate what He sees, understand where His heart and mind is at.  In a word, Jesus understands what it means to abide.

John the Baptizer is arrested and then beheaded.  Jesus hears the news and He withdraws.  He knows that He needs to go and process what has happened.  He needs to go and spend time with the Father.

However, when He tries to get away He finds that there is a crowd waiting for Him.  Here’s the interesting thing.  Jesus doesn’t dismiss the crowd.  He has compassion upon them.  He teaches them and feds them miraculously.  Even though He knows that He needs to abide, He still works.  Then, when evening comes, He knows that He will have the time to abide that He needs.

Jesus understands abiding.  He also understands the need for ministry.  Like all things, Jesus understands balance above everything.  He knows that He needs to abide and bear fruit.  But He refuses to let these things be in conflict with each other.  He finds an appropriate time for both.

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