When Jesus Was Urgent
Day 22: Matthew 14:13-36
“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’” - Matthew 14:27 ESV
There were many times in the four biographies of Jesus' life where He didn't "make haste" like others wanted him to. His pace was not going to be dictated by others.
But Matthew uses the Greek word euthys or eutheos ("immediately") three times in our reading today. Below is how he used them:
When Jesus dismissed the disciples (14:22).
When Jesus announces Himself as He walks on water (14:27).
When Jesus snatches the sinking Peter (14:31).
The first was about self-care (for Jesus and the disciples). The second was about calming the disciples' fears (He was, indeed, not a ghost). The third was about saving the now-doubting Peter. This leads me to ask three questions about the urgency in my own life:
Am I leading a balanced life that includes large amounts of prayer and proper times of rest?
Am I allowing fear to dictate how I live (which includes believing lies about myself and others)?
Do I trust Jesus enough to draw me out of impossible situations?
Jesus knows that we will put these off, allowing time for burnout, fear, and failure to take over.
May we act today, immediately, when it comes to these three questions, and experience the best life possible in this broken and frazzled world.
May we be urgent about the things that Jesus sees cannot wait.