Do you ever feel like Jesus goes on a stroll and leaves us behind even when we need Him most? Whether to be alone in prayer to the Father while we feel neglected; falls asleep on the boat when it’s surely a rough ride for the rest of us; abandons us just when we or people we love are hurting or dying. Nah! Our God would never leave or forsake us. And we shouldn’t be selfish; everything isn’t about us. The word warns that God allows us to go through some things, so we can grow. For some of us hard-headed children, it just takes longer than for others. Why? We’re stubborn to realize or understand how great He is, or how much He loves us.
When Jesus seems distant, there is a reason:
1) Christ needs to pray and seek the Father for strength for something important that is about to take place.
Mark14:32-34 says, “They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Luke 5:16 reads, ”But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”
Our God, our redeemer needed frequent communication with His Father. He needed that relationship to gain strength and comfort to carry out God’s will because of His humanness.
2) He recharges to prepare for the what’s next. And with us, a sinful lot, there will be a next.
Mark 30-31 states, “The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.”
Mark 6:45, 46 reads, “Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.”
And don’t forget, Jesus was asleep in the boat when the storm came. When our storms in life come, God wants us to trust Him. He rules over the storms, and if we submit to Him, He will take rule over our lives as well.
3) Jesus also leaves us to test our faith. To see if we will grow relationally with Him. To see if we will become more dependent on God.
1 Peter 1:6-7 reads, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Our Father in Heaven gives us each day. Not to try and do things alone, but to include Him. He wants us to walk with Him, to talk with Him, to trust that He is our friend. God wants us to grow in Him, to have relationship with Him, to know His love has no end.
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 43:2 makes it clear, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Psalm 23:4 reads, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 48:14 sums it up, “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.”
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit will ALWAYS be there for us until the end of time as we know it. But that end isn’t The End if we are His children. He loves us far too much, and the time is coming when He will gather His family together. How do I know? For the bible tells me so. He’ll speak to you through it too. Just read and believe!
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