HIS ACTIONS

“Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:15

What Kind of King Is This?

HIS EXAMPLE

Jesus showed in countless ways that He was so much more than what the people thought they wanted. In this scene, the wind was blowing, waves were rising, and night had fallen. It was dark both outside the boat, and inside the disciples’ outlook. They’d rowed three or four miles against the wind and waves. When Jesus finally came near, walking on the water, they did not recognize Him at first; once they received Him into the boat, they found themselves immediately on land at the place they were heading. Just prior to this event, Jesus had fed more than 5,000 men with next to nothing, showing His authority over an impossible situation; now He is showing His authority over the natural elements (walking on water), and His authority over time and space (they found themselves immediately at land, even though they had several miles more to go.) Jesus will not agree to become less than He is, even if we beg Him to be what we want Him to be. “He alone spreads out the heavens, and treads on the waters of the sea” (Job 9:8).

MY STORY

There was a time when Jesus was “just God’s Son” in my heart. A lesser being (I cringe to even type the words now.) An afterthought in God’s mind. Merely a way to deal with the sins of man. Surely not almighty, everlasting God. I was very wrong (John 5:23). I had no concept of Trinity—it was too far outside my understanding. I did not know the scope of His power, the strength of His might, His authority over all things in heaven and earth. But now I know that Jesus did what God did (John 5:19), because HE IS GOD Who lived among us. He is the Word of God—the eternal expression of God. He deserves all our praise and worship. He is worthy of all our devotion, our yielded flesh, and our submitted spirits, even to the exclusion (when necessary to choose between Him and something or someone else) of anything else we may be devoted to, yielded to, and submitted to on earth. Over time, and in relationship, and by His tender mercies and loving grace, He has shown me Himself.

MY RESPONSE

I confess my small thoughts about Jesus. I reject wrong ideas about Him. I read His Word to gain the truth of Who He is, and I do not receive any beliefs, whether expounded by friend or foe, that would diminish or lessen Him in His glory. I declare His praises to all who will hear, and also to those who won’t hear, for they will be without excuse in the day of His coming.

MY PRAYER

“Father, may we see Jesus for who He is—not an earthly king, but a heavenly King with all authority and power over all things. In Jesus’ powerful Name, Amen.”