The Greatest Need

How many hats are you wearing these days?

Are you feeling the unceasing demands of work, family, friendships, and church life?

I hear you. I know you want to honor God by being faithful to all of them and being fully present. God sees your heart!

But not only that, Jesus feels your tension. He gets the unceasing demands of the people around us. At the beginning of Luke 5, it says the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God's word. It was to the point He had to get on a boat on the lake. Can you imagine the great needs of the people and them pressing into Him? Talk about no personal space!

Jesus, can you do something about my financial stress?

Jesus, can you help my family member?

Jesus, can you change my work situation?

Jesus, can you solve this church issue?

Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!

I don't know if you watch the Chosen series about the life of Christ, but they did an excellent job of picturing how tired Jesus was from meeting the needs of the people around Him. It was a scene my wife and I were moved by, as you could imagine how drained He was in his humanity, though He was fully God and fully man.

This is why Luke 5:15-16 is so powerful to me. As the unceasing demands grew… look what Jesus' greatest need was.

15 But the news about him spread even more, and great crowds would come together to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 Yet he often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.

- Luke 5:15-16

The Greek for "he often withdrew… and prayed" gives the idea that it was a continual practice. Jesus regularly and often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.

As the crowds grew, as the demands increased, as the needs were urgent, Jesus' greatest need was to withdraw and to pray. The busyness of life and ministry did not stop Jesus from going to the Father. He had an unceasing desire to rest and receive from God. How much more do we also need to get away and pray? How often are you withdrawing and praying?

For me, I withdraw and often pray in the moments I shower, when I am driving to work, when I walk outside and take a deep, slow breath. Often doesn't always mean duration. But the point is communication and relationship.

Where is your quiet place? Do you have a prayer closet? Do you have a set rhythm?

How can you withdraw today and pray?

Let's pray. Father God, many are tired and feel the demands of life. God, you know their heart, and you see their struggle. Give them courage today to get away for a moment to tap into your peace and power. And may it so deeply refresh them and give them an abiding joy.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Pastor Sean

‍