Today’s scripture: Matthew 14:34-36 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Julie Walsh):
During my career as a truck driver, people have assumed I make an inordinate amount of money. This is especially evident at truck stops where I am approached regularly by people who are hard on their luck. They hurry around me looking for food money, gas money, or a ride to another town.
They are not aware of the debt I am trying to eliminate or the expensive fertility treatments that eat away entire paychecks. They don’t see the hectic load schedule or the co-driver wh0 is trying to sleep in the back of the cab. They have not taken the time to know who I am. They only see me for what I might have to offer to fix their immediate needs.
Today’s scripture indicates that people flocked to Jesus for physical healing, but there is no indication that they were seeking the fullness He had to offer. They knew what He could do, but did they know who He was?
How many times have we come to Jesus asking Him to heal our ailments, our relationships, our job situation, or our finances? Conversely, how many times have we come to Jesus asking Him to heal our souls? Wasn’t that one of the primary purposes for Jesus’ ministry on Earth?
We need to see Jesus for everything He is. Jesus is not only interested in prolonging our bodily lives, but wants to heal our souls so that we can know the fullness of life, both now and in the future.
Thought for the day: As we grow our prayer lives, let’s remember that we’re heaven-bound and ask Jesus to give us the experiences we need to prepare our souls for eternity.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.