“On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.” (Luke 9:10–11)
It was supposed to have been a day of rest and relaxation. But everything turned out quite differently to what they expected. For the disciples of Jesus it became a day in which they worked as much as if not more than ever before.
What had happened? The Lord Jesus had retired with His disciples to Bethsaida so that the twelve could recover from their ministry in the villages there. But when the crowds heard where they were staying, they immediately ran after them. How did the Son of God react to this? He never complained, nor did He become displeased in any way. Instead, He took the people in and met each one (individually) according to their needs. How many times He accepted sudden interruptions due to an immediate need with much patience and gentleness—and without negative feelings in His heart!
The Lord did not make a legal matter out of quiet times. We never hear Him say, “This is my time of prayer. Come back later.” He was always available for people. He used the given time of each day like no one else, but without ever being stressed. The deep fellowship He enjoyed with His Father at all times was so real, that the interruption of a break never caused Him a crisis.
How balanced our Lord was here on earth! In Him, God found everything He wanted in the life of a man, and at the same time, through Him, God could fully reveal what He wanted to be for mankind. The people who come to God frequently and spend much time in His presence are often those who are most accessible to their fellow men. No one has ever been closer to people than the Man from heaven. Duty says, “There is time for God and time for man.” Love says, “There is time—and there always will be—for the good works He has prepared beforehand.”
Of course there are also daily duties, whether at work or at home, which we have to perform and which require us to be on call at all times. But the question is, what do we do in our own time?
While, on the one hand, service among people and our daily duties shouldn’t interfere with our time in secret with God; on the other hand, the insistence on rest and seclusion should not isolate us from other people. Piety that does not show itself in deeds is dangerous! This doesn’t mean that we must respond to every request that is made to us. The Lord Jesus didn’t do that either, because He also needed times of rest and retreat. It’s rather a matter of doing what God wants us to do in everything—regardless of whether we withdraw to refuel or whether we serve actively. It requires dependence to be shown in each new circumstance what the right course of action is in that moment.
What will your reaction be when you are unexpectedly asked for help today, although you had actually planned to do something else? Do you tend to neglect service to people, or rather your quiet time before the Lord? One time the Lord said to Elijah, “Hide yourself” and another time,“Show yourself” (1 Kings 17:3; 18:1). What is He telling you at the moment?
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