You just never know how the Lord is going to bless your time with Him. You can count on something for sure, but what? I’m putting a new tag line on my “morning devos”: “An eager son with his generous Father”.

It all started with my devotions this morning as the Lord led me to Matthew 14, where Jesus performs (at least) 4 staggering miracles: healing the sick; feeding 5000 with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish; walking on water; calming a violent storm.

But there was something else here that actually caught my attention, held it, and really inspired me. I noticed that just before His ministry to the thousands (which begins at verse 14, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them…“) and just before He comes to His disciples on the lake (verse 25, “During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them…“) He goes to the Father, alone:

Matt. 14:13, “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.”

Matt. 14:23, “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone”

Jesus does devotions. Jesus conscientiously creates one-on-one time with His Father, even in the midst of a hungry and hurting crowd, or in the midst of a violent storm on the lake. God the Son communes with God the Father. I have to admit that it had never really struck me so intensely before! I mean, He was God (excuse me, He IS God). He would already have known what was to come and what He had to do. He was limitless in His power (after all, what CAN’T Jesus do?)

But even still in all of His power and all of His might, even as the Creator… He created alone time with God. A time of communion–I’d even say “passionate” communion, because on the night before His execution the Bible says that Jesus sweat drops of blood as He spoke to His Father.

What did the Lord do or say when He was alone with God, as Matthew 14 records? Actually nobody knows. If you look at the other accounts of this story we are told that He took His disciples with Him to give them some rest before they departed. But nothing is said of His devo time. Well to me that means something…

I believe that it was preparation time–a time to rest, a time to be rejuvenated, and a time to become unified with the Father. Jesus knew of the needs of the thousands and He knew of the fear of His disciples. He knew that He would be the one to feed and heal, and the One to calm the storm. Yes He would be called to exercise His divine strength within the confines of His human body. So His alone time was a masterful preparation for “successful obedience”–one of my terms for describing a Christian’s calling.

Prov. 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Prov. 16:3, “Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.”

John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

It’s told to us over and over again in the Scriptures: commit ourselves to God, seek His will for our lives, trust in His power and provision… and THEN it can “get done”. Then I can go and teach a Bible study from the pulpit; then you can give counsel to your hurting friend who’s just lost his/her job. Then you can share the love of Jesus with those who are hurting, or hungry, or fearful, or confused.

What can’t I do? Dare I say that in this context there is nothing I can’t do? Because if I become an eager son just waiting for guidance, direction, and power from my Father, then He’s going to send me exactly where I can be His servant and His representative. (Jesus didn’t just stumble upon thousands of hungry people!)

If you remain faithful and eager to seek after God I am confident that there’s nothing you can’t do. He will send you where He wants you, He’ll put you in situations that He’s designed specifically for you, and He’ll equip you for them. So be eager… be hungry… have your hand of faith open wide, because the God of creation is so generous to give you exactly what you need.