Daily Bread

Falling Asleep on Take-Off

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

I am not a big fan of flying though I have flown extensively. I like to joke that I can’t fall asleep even on long flights because the pilot may need my help. In fact travel of just about any kind tends to keep me on edge. I was so surprised when I accompanied my pastor Joliam Sampaio on an overseas mission’s trip to find out that he is so used to flying that sometimes he falls asleep before take-off!

In this passage he disciples were about to leave on a mission’s trip of their own. Their pastor; Jesus Christ decided that they needed to go across the sea of Galilee. Matthew’s gospel tells us that Jesus was the first into the boat and then worn out from a long day of ministering to the multitudes he fell asleep. While the boat they were traveling approached the halfway point of their journey a wild storm blew in. The waves sloshed over the sides and the wind tossed them around so violently that the experiences fishermen piloting the boat that night began to think they might be on their way to the bottom and yet Jesus slept on. I imagine the conversations among them went something like this;

“We need a miracle Peter and since you are the oldest; you wake Him up!” shouted Peter’s younger brother Andrew over the howling of the wind.

“No way Andy!” Peter replied. “Ask John. Jesus likes Him better.”

“Me!” John answered in surprise.. “Why do you always have me ask Him all the questions. It’s Phillip’s turn this time!”

Finally as terror set in with the worsening of the state of the ship they decided it to make it  joint effort, and the shouted in unison. “Master ! Wake up! Are you so sleepy that you aren’t even worried if we all die?!”

If this sounds anything like your situation today welcome to the club. Like me you may have the tendency to stay awake in case the pilot needs help. We may fret over details; so much that any holdup or unpleasant change in our plans makes us feel that everything if falling apart. Events that we were certain we were in charge of are suddenly spinning out of control and it seems like God is either unaware or unconcerned with our panic. But the good news is that we are still in the boat with Jesus. We have 24/7 access to Him and we don’t even need to wait for an emergency to ask for His help. He is simply waiting for us to call for His help. When the Lord is in our boat He guarantees us that we will get to the destination He has determined.  There is nothing that takes Him by surprise and no opposition that can prevent us from reaching the other shore.

 

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The Donkey Waited

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Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.  Matthew 21:1-2 NKJV

two brown donkeys

Photo by chris carroll on Pexels.com

Some days I feel a lot the donkey in this story. Everyone else had something important to do but the donkey. I hate to wait because it makes me feel helpless. But just like the donkey, waiting gives God time to accomplish His plans on His schedule.

First, the donkey waited quietly. Imagine what might have happened if the disciples came and found the donkey and its colt wildly tugging at the ropes tying them. Just as the disciples were looking for gentle beasts that would be useful for their master, so God is looking for hearts quietly waiting for His call.

Second the donkeys had to be ready to go. I wonder if the donkey had bucked and kicked as it was untied if it would have been brought to Jesus. Isn’t that sometimes the way we sometimes react when called to do something new?

Last of all, because they waited they were brought to Jesus. Like the donkey, we are not forgotten or rejected. Instead, we are like a restaurant table that has been reserved for the master’s use. When He comes we must be ready and waiting. We must be willing for Him to show us where to go because we will only get where Jesus is leading when we are ready to wait where He has put us till He calls.

The Last Healing

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And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47 NKJV

As Jesus is begins His final journey towards Jerusalem, a blind man named Batimaeus hears the news and in desperation cries to Jesus for help. Breaking the decorum of his day he starts to shout as loudly as he can, trying to get Jesus’ attention, no matter what anyone else thinks.

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During His ministry Jesus had healed all kinds of people including the mother of the Apostle Peter’s wife, the servant of a government official and a woman who touched his robe in a crowd. As He neared the end of His time on earth He raised His friend Lazarus from the dead. But what was likely His last miraculous act of Jesus paused to heal a bind beggar named Bartimaeus.  The blind man had no special credentials or connections except Jesus was passing by.For all of us who also have no pedigree, political connections or friends in high places there is hope. The mercy of Jesus comes with only the requirement that, like Bartimaeus, we ask with all our heart.

Jesus is as willing to stop for a jailer as for a prisoner. He hears the prayer of the surgeon as well as the patient. He bends his ear as closely to hear orphans he does to the father of a nation. Our hope in Jesus Christ is based on one thing alone. He died for our sins and rose again. He is walking down our street and He is still inviting beggars to come to His side in His heavenly home!