Morning Devotional

July 29, 2005
"Preventive Measures" (Part 2)     
    by Don Emmitte

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"Bring them here," he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God's blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children! Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home. Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. (Matthew 14:18-23 NLT).

The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand marked a turning point in the ministry of Jesus. Afterward there would be very little opportunity for Jesus to rest. He would be in constant danger from those who sought to discredit his ministry and put him to death. It was the dawning of the storm in his earthly life.

The central subject we began yesterday concerned how we prepare for troubles that may be in our future. How do we get ready to face the storms of life that will surely come from living in a fallen world? When trouble was coming in the life of Jesus, we saw yesterday, Jesus got alone, but there was a reason Jesus separated Himself from other people during these times. Jesus got alone so that He could talk to God in prayer. We are to do likewise.

Today’s verse tells us what Jesus did when He went to the mountain to be alone. It wasn’t a selfish pity-party. Jesus times alone were spent with His Father in prayer. Jesus must have recognized the significant value in knowing God intimately. This was surely His place of greatest strength. I believe Jesus was fit for battle, which He faced daily during His ministry, through His alone time with God in prayer.

As I asked you in the last devotional, when was the last time you got alone with God? Have you begun to recognize the privilege of calling on the Creator of the heavens and earth in prayer? Are you relying on your relationship with God to carry you through life and prepare you to battle life’s storms?

If your answer is not positive, now is a good time to commit yourself to some time alone with God. It may be for the briefest of moments. Just a short walk outdoors without any distractions can work wonders for your level of strength to face your trials. Even if it is impossible to walk outdoors in the quiet, take a drive without the radio or CD player. You will find his voice a soothing strength in the midst of the difficulty. I have also found that when times are good, this provides a store of strength for the future. Give it a try!