A Busy Night:
Today’s Verse
Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Matthew 14:23-24(NIV)
Today’s thought:
It is interesting to note that:
i) It was ‘later that night’. We don’t know if Jesus was still praying, or if He had finished, or if His concept of starting and finishing prayer was different to ours. But, we do know that it was later, and…
ii) ‘He was there alone’. Being alone at this point was His choice, He wasn’t lonely, but had made a conscious decision to be with the Father alone so that He could commune with Him.
iii) Even though it was late at night, and He was praying and spending His quality time with God alone, He becomes aware of the disciples (His ‘mainly teenage’ disciples) in an increasingly worrying situation, a ‘considerable distance’ from Him, in the middle of the sea.
Do you ever look at the lives of the children and young people around you and feel:
That you are a considerable distance from them?
That they are being buffeted by the waves?
That the wind is against them?
…and consequently feel concerned for their lives?
Today, let’s take a leaf out of Jesus’ book and look at how He began to help His teenage disciples.
He started from a place of strength… being alone in prayer with God. And I think that for me this is how He was able to notice His disciples in the night a considerable distance from Him in rough weather, not only with His physical abilities (eyes and ears) but because God the Father showed Him.
Today’s prayer:
As you come to God today in prayer, thank Him that He still notices young people , a considerable distance from Land, being buffeted with the winds against them, and that He still cares for them.
Why not then spend some time and pray that he will show you the young people that you can help.
Pray for the those young people in their situations for strength and wisdom that God would show you what and how he has placed you to support them in their need.
Thank you so much for these thoughts. I particularly appreciated the thought of teenagers being buffeted so much today and so need prayer. So many voices calling out for attention may the voice of hope and love that Jesus is expressing be heard by them. May they find in a world of hopelessness that Jesus gives a living hope
Found this really helpful today, reminding me God notices, and also reminding me to ask God to show me what and how he has placed me to support them in their need. Thank you.