Rev. Richard Smith
| Matthew 14:23 After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone… |
We must, if we’re going to spiritually grow and mature, find ways to feed our spirits and to nourish our souls. Obviously, we find our souls fed in worship, in moments of prayer, in spiritual conversations, in disciplined Bible study, in periods of focused reflection, and even as we serve Jesus on the front lines of active service.
This scene in the Gospel of Matthew is just one of the numerous scenarios, as I’ve noted before, in which we find Jesus going apart. He regularly spent time in prayer, reflection and personal connection with God. I don’t think it’s going too far to say that Jesus’ serenity and his joy were grounded in the sustenance he received each and every time he went apart with God.
The bottom line is that we cannot be fit to do Jesus’ service if we’re not receiving through spiritual practices the food God would give us to sustain us and carry us. God doesn’t expect us to run and serve on empty!
One of my favorite compelling passages comes from the Apostle Paul when he writes, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. A primary reason I really appreciate this statement is that it reminds us that we each must keep pressing on to be all that Jesus calls us to be; to keep on pressing toward more faithful discipleship; to keep on keeping on toward greater Jesus-likeness.
The hitch comes when one forgets that this journey toward deepened discipleship requires regular nourishment of our souls. Jesus made this clear when he said in John 15:4-5, I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.
A key question is, What are the spiritual nourishment venues we routinely and diligently practice so that we can receive the inner sustenance needed to be faithful?
We who commit to Jesus and who want to be obedient to God can never be as happy as we need, as energized as we need, and as ready to serve as we need if we neglect the feeding of our souls.
