10-28-2015

 Good Morning All!!

          Matthew 14:23; “And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone”

    Do you remember the television commercial of a few years ago that showed a much frazzled mother?  She had a couple of children and they were yelling and crying, the pots on the stove were boiling over, the phone was ringing and she looks at the camera and says, “Calgon, take me away!”  This was part of the ad campaign that said mothers should have a “Calgon moment.”  The past three days, we have been babysitting for a neighbor, one is four and one is 10 months.  We have needed a couple of calgon moments.

    Whether you want to soak in a warm bath tub with bath salts or not is up to you but most of us like a little quiet time.  There are times when we simply need to step back, collect our thoughts, take stock of the situation and then go forward.  Sometimes we need to take a few minutes to recharge our batteries and refocus our direction.

   Our verse occurs after Jesus fed the 5000.  Sometimes we forget that long before Jesus fed the people, he was ministering to them.  He healed a few, offered comfort to a few, touched a few, blessed a few and so on and so forth.  This was a busy day even before the disciples came to him late in the afternoon and said, “You have to take care of this, send them away.”  Jesus was tired but not too tired to care for the people.  But when it was done, Jesus went off by himself to pray.

    Jesus shows us a very good example of life in the fast lane.  The demands on Jesus, his time, his energy and his compassion were always great.  Maybe you feel that your life is demanding and it probably is.  If you are parents to young children you know this but if you are parents in any form you know it; your children never stop being your children and you never stop caring or worrying.  You may have the stress of the harvest affecting you; you may have the stress of health troubles for you or a loved one.  You may feel the stress of your job and the way it feels like you are losing ground.  If you are like most people, you are experiencing some combination of the above events.  Someone, somewhere, wants some of your time.

   It is vital that you take a little time, go by yourself, leave the phones and the electronic devices behind, find a quiet spot and focus on your faith.  Focus on what God is saying to you.  Focus on what God is doing for you.  Spend some time in the “holy conversation” of reading God’s Word and responding with prayer.  Take the time; God uses this time to refresh your spirit and to enliven the soul.  Spend the quiet time with the Lord; it is part of his invitation to come to him and rest.

Gracious Father, you give me rest; rest that I so desperately need.  Comfort me with your Spirit.  Focus my eyes and my heart upon you and your wondrous promise of hope.  Guard me from despair; free me from letting the burdens and cares of this world from overtaking me.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret