Friday 8/31/2012 6:50 AM
This morning I read John 12:20-36, where Jesus predicts his
death. Verse 36 ends with these words,
“When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself.” I know there are times in the Bible
where it says that Jesus went away to have some alone time praying. But this seems more like he was trying to
avoid people, perhaps because he was afraid of being arrested prematurely. But when I read the verse I wondered if there
are times when Jesus hides himself from his disciples intentionally.
When Jesus ascended to heaven he promised his disciples
that he would be with them always, to the end of the age. But being with someone and having them be
aware of your presence are two different things. I remember when my children were younger I
always encouraged them to stay close by either mom or dad when we went to a
store or to the park. But, as kids are
wont to do, they often wandered away, distracted by something more
interesting. If we were in a store I would
sometimes follow them while hiding behind a large display so they couldn’t see
me. Eventually they would realize that
neither mom nor dad was within sight and they would begin to panic. Then I would walk around the corner and have
a little discussion with them about the importance of staying close.
Does God do the same thing with me? He encourages me to maintain an intimate
relationship with him but too often I wander away, distracted by the glitz and
glamor, fame and fortune portrayed by our consumerist society. Does God take a step back and hide himself
from me, allowing me to experience the panic of living apart from him for the
purpose of teaching me the importance of staying close? I think it is possible that he does. The real question is will I learn the lesson?
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