Busy.
Busy. Busy. Most of us are caught up in a frenzy of activity
that leaves us exhausted and edgy. What is the source of our frenzy? We hear
sermons or read books or listen to testimonies which convict us that we aren’t praying enough or giving enough or
evangelizing enough or volunteering enough. As a result, we become disappointed with ourselves while our opportunities
begin to feel more like obligations.
But
in spite of the crush of human need, Jesus never appeared to be in a hurry. Why
not? A day from early in his ministry (Mark 1) is revealing. Jesus spent the
day teaching and healing in Capernaum -- a day which didn’t end until well
after sunset. Very early the next morning,
Jesus retreated to a solitary place,
where he prayed. When his irritated disciples finally found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for
you!” What an opportunity—doors flung wide open for ministry. Why not rent
a public building and have nightly meetings for the next 30 days? Imagine what
Jesus could do in a month—there wouldn’t be a broken bone or a broken marriage
in the entire city.
But astoundingly (to the Twelve) Jesus declined the invitation: “Let us go somewhere else so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Jesus knew his purpose. He knew what God had called him to do. That made it possible to decline such a tempting offer.
Mark
Buchanan in Your God Is Too Safe, has
observed that “at the heart of Jesus’ ministry was a holy must. He must
go through Samaria. He must go
to Jerusalem. He must suffer. Everything he did or refused to do
centered around that.” This must brought “wonderful clarity” to Jesus’ choices.
Many
of us have no God-inflamed purpose which drives and directs our choices: “There is activity. There is
opinion. There is busyness. But there is nothing ... to convert selfish
ambition into holy purpose.” We are like Jerry Sittser who lamented his
inability to say “no”: “I am like a man on a mission to everywhere.”
Jesus
didn’t heal every sick person or preach in every synagogue or accept every
invitation. But he did accomplish every task the Father assigned to him. Many
of us let fear or friends, pride or pastors, rather than God, fix our agendas.
We need to respond to significant requests of our time by praying: "Lord,
is this how you want me to use my time and gifts?"
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