Food for the Journey
July 22, 2021
Paths
by Intern Pastor Logan McLean Strike
“When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” John 6:15
I wonder what motivated Jesus to withdraw from the people and their demands. Was he tempted by the power imagined in becoming king? Or was he frightened by their desire to force a particular kind of leadership upon him? Or, did Jesus simply need to be alone to remember his identity? Like Jesus, we too face the push and pull of expectations outside of who God has called us to be. How are we to navigate the decisions we face in life? I take heart in the words of Psalm 37:23-24 “our steps are made firm by God… though we stumble, we shall not fall, for God holds us by the hand.” As I leave First Lutheran with the great unknown before me, I give thanks that God is with me in bigger ways than I can see or imagine. God is certainly with you today in the same way.
What sorts of paths are before you today? How is your heart as you face your own mountains and valleys? Where can you pause and pray today?