students of jesus

I am in my usual place. I close the door. My room feels secure.
 
I start to read. My mind hears the sound of my own voice. I am the narrator: “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them . . .” Of course these are not my words, but I hear them in my own voice. I’ve been here before. The words continue, “. . . so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
 
Because I’ve come to this place often. These words are as familiar as my morning coffee, yet each morning I can savor the smell and taste anew. I make a note in the margin of the book. “He sees in secret. He rewards.” I consider the fact he also sees the murder and adultery in my heart. Am I comfortable that he sees me in secret? There is danger and reward in what he sees. Other people see only the surface. They reward, too, with smiles and words of praise.

“Go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” The voice in my head sounds less like me--it begins to blend with another voice: one sure and steady. He’s telling me about my Father. He knows my Father very well, far better than me because I was separated from my Father at birth. But now I’m grown. I am trying to connect again. Your Father, he says, sees and rewards. Other people may see and reward, but it’s out in the open, where we can pretend to be anything we want. We can even pretend we have forgiven. Others might reward, but they do not see in secret.

I finish his words about my righteousness: he tells me to comb my hair, wash my face and fool my neighbors, “and your Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” The voice in my head is now completely his, offering assurance and revelation:

He sees me, even in the secret place, and he longs to reward. I consider for a moment: could I trust anyone to see all of me, even in secret? Can I trust him?  He says yes, and this is what I will take with me when I open the door and begin my day: “If I trust him to see me in secret, I will not need to be seen by men.”

1. Jesus had the experience of receiving unexpected bad news. (v13) We are not alone in our surprise and grief: our Lord himself lived through events unforeseen and had to deal with shock and sadness. When we are overcome with senseless suffering we will find Jesus there with us.


2. Jesus needed space and time to process: “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place” (v13). This was his way. Time and again the gospels share one of the primary sources of the Lord’s strength--he took measures to be alone with the Father. The solitary place need not be the place grief, it can also be the place of comfort.


3. Sometimes events overtake our personal needs: “Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (vs 13-14). Most people knew nothing or cared little for Jesus’ sadness. They had their own sadness, and they looked to him for relief. Amazingly, Jesus didn’t hang “Do Not Disturb” on the doorknob. He was filled with compassion for them and took action. Setting aside his own need, he modeled for us again that the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve others.


4. Jesus taught the disciples to follow his example: “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat” (v16). At least two of Jesus’ disciples had been with John the Baptist previously. The Lord wanted them to focus on the needs of others as those needs presented themselves. Five thousand people were fed, even as Jesus and his disciples wrestled with their own pain. It’s a parable: when we are weak, he is strong. Miraculously strong on behalf of others.


5. Still, Jesus needed time alone: “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone” (v23). Events had overtaken Jesus’ original plan. The narrative starts with him slipping away in a boat for some down time. He remembered his initial purpose and took the opportunity to see it through. Jesus demonstrates the balance between his own need and the needs of others. Even while he displayed compassion he did not lose sight of his deep need to process with the Father. Eventually he got there. With some intentionality we can, too.

At Students of Jesus Mondays are about meditation. We can set the course for our hearts all week long by choosing a theme to hold before God day by day. Mediation should be a normative part of Christian life, but many North American Christians are familiar only with study.

Richard Foster, a man who has given himself to training in spiritual formation,  says simply, “Christian meditation is the ability to hear God’s voice and obey his word.” Hearing his voice need not be the same thing as reading the Bible.

We give ourselves to definitions, memorization and organization, but our hearts remain unmoved. For example, when the Magi asked the religious experts of King Herod’s court, “where is the Messiah to be born?” the Scribes were capable of giving a correct answer, but not one of them was moved to go with the Magi and worship at the feet of the Child Christ. God save us from that kind of knowledge. The paths to mediation are many, but I’d like to suggest a few starting points for those who have never considered the difference between book-learning and meditation:

• Chew the cud: Don’t be in a hurry. When we ruminate on the scripture for a week, a month, or even a year we give the Holy Spirit opportunity to suggest what He meant when he inspired the text. I know of one married couple who read all the verses of Proverbs 3 every night for a year. Each night they talked about what the words could mean--that’s chewing the cud!
• Look for Jesus’ words in his actions. For example, if you are intrigued by Jesus’ mysterious statement, “Don’t cast your pearls before swine,” why not read all four gospels looking for evidence of how Jesus walked out that very statement? I guarantee--you’ll be surprised.
• Set aside the Bible, and listen. Of course the Bible is a good thing, but the Bible itself suggests other avenues to hear God’s voice: the operation of nature, the moon and the stars, lives of other believers, even our own hearts can convey the voice of God to us. The very fact that we have the Bible as a safety net should give us confidence to open our ears to other avenues of His expression.

Do you need somewhere to start? Try this on for a week:

Your word, O LORD, is eternal; 

       it stands firm in the heavens.

Your faithfulness continues through all generations; 


       you established the earth, and it endures.

Your laws endure to this day,

 
       for all things serve you.

If your law had not been my delight,

 
       I would have perished in my affliction.

I will never forget your precepts,

 
       for by them you have preserved my life.

 Save me, for I am yours;

 
       I have sought out your precepts.

 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,

 
       but I will ponder your statutes.

 To all perfection I see a limit;

 
       but your commands are boundless.

                         ~ Psalm 118: 89-96

Have you ever been instructed by the things Jesus didn’t say? Jesus, the Master Teacher, wants to do more than simply convey information. He wants to draw us into his way of thinking. He wants us to participate with him in discovering the Kingdom of God.

Take just one example, say, when Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” This is the seed of an idea: life with God begins like childbirth. I’ve always been astonished that those who treasure the phrase “born again” rarely develop the idea beyond the moment of conversion.

Birth doesn’t happen instantly. Before the moment of birth there is the travail of labor. Prior to labor there are months of gestation. After the moment of birth, the infant is in desperate need of attention: a clean environment, warmth, love and food. Beyond the first few moments a new-born child requires the community of family and the commitment of a mother and father. In “real life” each of these elements are critical. Remove any one of them and the child’s development is in peril. Each of these ideas could impact how we share the gospel or disciple new believers.

Could Jesus mean all that in the simple phrase, “You must be born again?” Well, he is pretty smart. When he uses metaphor or parable, I believe it’s an invitation for us to meditate upon his words and ask the Holy Spirit for illumination.

Even the few suggestions above do not exhaust the possibilities that flow from meditating on this single image.  Decades later His disciple Peter encouraged us

You have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” ~ I Peter 1:23

Peter moved from the image of new birth to a seed. The seed capable of generating eternal life is itself imperishable (you can read more reflections on the seed here).

If you’re looking for a meditation path this week, why not take one image from the words of Jesus and explore the possibilities over and over again. Take the whole week! You may find that God’s word is living and active, revealing practical wisdom for your life. Don’t be surprised if the Holy Spirit becomes your guide!

• Zechariah was “filled with the Holy Spirit.” His perspective had shifted from the everyday to the presence of God. (v 67) How many of us consider the need to dwell in the presence?
• The God of Israel is in the business of redemption, both personally and corporately. (vs 68-71). How many of us consider that God’s redemptive purposes extend beyond our own need?
• God’s saving action demonstrates his faithfulness to all generations, from Abraham forward. (vs 72-73) How many of us consider that God sees all of humanity before him at any given moment?
• The purpose of God’s saving action is so that we can “serve him without fear.” (v74) How many of us consider God’s purpose in saving us?
• John the Baptist’s ministry was solely to prepare the way for another. (v76) How many of us view ministry as releasing someone else to be the star?
• Isaiah’s fingerprints are all over the Zechariah’s final words (vs 77-79). How many of us allow the scripture to inform our wondering and meditation?
• Finally, the baby was only eight days old. Zechariah’s work was just beginning. (v80) How many of us see the fulfillment of God’s promise as the beginning instead of the end?