The First Steps: Read: Matthew 14
Focus Verse: John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Matthew 14:12-13
Meditation: When Tragedy Strikes...Jesus!
Our town has recently experienced a series of tragedies that have left us almost numb. In the last month or so, we've lost probably a half-dozen people from around our town. Some we expected to pass away, others not. And heartbreak abounds in town.
People respond differently to tragedy. Some retreat into themselves or into their homes. They’re scarcely seen in church or anywhere. Some people immerse themselves in their work or in school. Others seem to thrive on community and conversation and you see them still out and about, talking to everyone about the recent events in their lives.
Jesus too had to face tragedy. John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, and, more importantly, the man who inspired Jesus’ message has died. Tragically too. Died at the hands of Herod the tetrarch after his daughter requested the head of John the Baptist to be given to her on a plate. News of this tragic event reaches Jesus...and he is moved and torn. Matthew says that Jesus retreated by boat privately to a solitary place.
You can imagine what was going through Jesus’ head. “What happened to John!?”... “Why did this tragedy strike!?”... “What am I going to do now?”
Unfortunately Jesus doesn’t get any “time off” from life. The crowds are in hot pursuit of him and in no time at all, both the disciples and the crowd has caught up to him. To top it off, the crowd is hungry. They haven’t eaten all day and they are starving! The disciples figure they can go away to fetch something to eat, but Jesus will have none of that.
“They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat!”
I can almost imagine the frustration in Jesus’ words here. (Yes, Jesus did get frustrated I believe a number of times... he was human after all!). “Can’t they do anything for themselves?” Jesus thinks. Of course the answer is no... so Jesus once again has to step in...
“Bring me what you have...” he says. And with that the first big feeding miracle in Matthew is performed. The five loaves and two fish become enough for everyone to eat...with leftovers. And the people are happy and fed...right? Now Jesus can get some alone time with God...right?
It would seem so. The disciples then go into the boat and Jesus stays back. “He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.”(vs. 23).
Of course life doesn’t stop there and before long the wind and the waves, agents of chaos, are battering the disciples’ boat. Jesus has but one thing he can do. Go out to the boat and save them. Setting aside his own need for retreat with God, Jesus walks out on the water to help the disciples.
“Take courage!” He shouts at them when he sees they’re afraid. “It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Climbing into the boat then, the wind dies down and the disciples worship him. “Truly you are the Son of God.”
But I wonder...at that moment...what was going on in Jesus’ head. Was he still upset about what happened to John? Was he still thinking about it? Still mourning the loss of his cousin? Did anyone ever stop and ask Jesus how he was doing with the whole thing? Or were they so consumed with what was going on in their lives, with their own grief and pain and hunger and faithlessness, that they failed to stop and ask him what he was thinking and feeling after his tragedy?
We too might fall into our own lives and forget that the pain of tragedy doesn’t end. It doesn’t end with the funeral service. It doesn’t end a week or even a month after. The pain of tragedy continues to hurt, throughout life. It’s a continual struggle sometimes just to get up in the morning, let alone continue through the day.
We might feel alone and lost when tragedy strikes. And we might feel even more lonely in the days and weeks following. But know this. The world might not remember...but Jesus does! Jesus knows what it’s like to grieve. He grieved for his friend, John. Jesus knows what crisis of faith are all about. He experiences those twice in this chapter. Jesus knows what it means when people just go about their lives, forgetting to even ask you how you’re doing. Jesus knows...and Jesus cares!
In the midst of your tragic storms, Jesus comes out to you, walking on the water. He comes reassuring you: “Take courage! It is I! Don’t be afraid!” Jesus climbs into your boat with you. And though the winds around you might not seem any slower, we know that Jesus calms the storms around us too. For the courage, the peace, and the presence of Jesus Christ is life and hope and salvation for us. Amen!
Questions to Ponder...
1) Think of a tragic moment in your life. What got you through that moment? How do you cope when memories of that moment return?
2) Do you think Jesus was frustrated? Confused? Afraid? How did tragedy affect Jesus?
3) CHALLENGE: Think of someone who has lost someone lately. Take a moment NOW to offer yourself to them. BE the presence of Christ you hunger for in others.
A Prayer to Pray...
Almighty God, your Son Jesus experienced everything we experience. May we find comfort in his struggles and in his triumphs that, despite everything happening around us, we may know your presence which gives us courage and peace, through His Name we pray. Amen.
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