Jesus Comes!

Jesus has just heard that John the Baptist, his cousin, has been beheaded. Jesus has been teaching and the crowds will not go away.  He sends the disciples ahead wanting to find a little space.  Jesus valued his time alone with God, especially now.  

I wished Jesus had shared more with his disciples about his time apart--the time in which he detached from the world.  Did he sing his favorite songs before God?  Did he weep?  Did he laugh as he talked about the people he met?  Did  Jesus voice his frustration with how the ministry was going?  Maybe he kept silence.  We simply do not know.

Time to catch up with the twelve in the boat.  In the Gospel of Mark, it says that Jesus was walking on the water and meant to go by the disciples unnoticed.  What?  Jesus was thinking, "Maybe the guys will not see me! (as he is walking on the water)"  But they do.  They are frightened.  Their fear cries out!  So Jesus comes to them.

I think there were times when Jesus simply did not want to be noticed.  He was not in this world to be the center of attention.  Jesus wanted God to be the center of devotion.  At this particular time, I think Jesus was detached dealing with is own grief.  John was his cousin.  John had baptized him.

There were times when the crowds overwhelmed him.  It was like being at a Mardi Gras parade where people are on top of one another.  Arms were reaching out to him, begging for healing.  People were asking him question after question.  And I am sure there were the hecklers that annoyed him as well. 

But Jesus came.  At the first hint of fear, Jesus comes to the disciples.  He will not stay away.

On many tickets that we receive in our life there is this statement, "Not Good If Detached".  This is true in faith.  A Savior that detaches give no hope.  A disciple that detaches loses the ability to lead others.  A friend that detaches is not that good a friend.

It is important that you have your time apart.  You need to have your personal space.  However, this is not a reason to become indifferent and detach.   Jesus knew the power of time alone was to prepare him for the moments that awaited him.

In spite of our sin, in the midst of our fear, and at the time when we cry out--Jesus comes.