Don’t Desert Your Lord

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You were in the Garden of Gethsemane with Your disciples, praying. And when things got scary, Your followers ran away. Please give me courage to stand my ground for You, if ever I am in a situation where I have the choice to run away or to stand up for You.

Jesus asked them, "Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me." Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away. Mark 14:48-50 NLT (Underlined for emphasis.)

 

Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, "I'm going fishing." "We'll come, too," they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. John 21:1-3 NLT (Underlined for emphasis.)

 

Meditate. Consider the disciples’ choices.

 

Choices. The disciples chose to run away from the Roman soldiers and the crowd that came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. They were probably scared for their lives. It was a multitude of people, as listed in Matthew, Mark, and Lukes accounts of the arrest, and a Roman cohort, according to John 18:3, which is a group of 300-600 Roman soldiers. That is a lot of power in the Roman army, but they were no match for the power of Jesus. He humbly stood there and answered them—and they fell.

After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. "Who are you looking for?" he asked. "Jesus the Nazarene," they replied. "I AM he," Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) As Jesus said "I AM he," they all drew back and fell to the ground! Once more he asked them, "Who are you looking for?" And again they replied, "Jesus the Nazarene." "I told you that I AM he," Jesus said. "And since I am the one you want, let these others go." John 18:1-8 NLT

Let these others go. Jesus wanted to protect His disciples…and they ran away. Later, after His resurrection, Peter returned to his fishing boat and the others followed him. They chose to go back to their old ways. Jesus saved them again, when they caught no fish—He abundantly supplied their needs. He has promised us the same.

The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying (abundant) life. John 10:10 NLT (Read it in context.)

Jesus purpose, as He stated, was to give His sheep—His followers—an abundant, plentiful and rich life. Since He was a spiritual being, I think He meant a rich spiritual life. Like Peter, we may want to return to our old ways—before we accepted Christ as our Savior, but we need to make the choice, day by day for Him. Commit your ways to Him. He cares for us, day by day. Take delight—be joyful—in Him.

He will give you your heart's desire.
New Life in Him.

Don't worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. ... Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent, and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever. Psalm 37:1-7, 18 NLT

Don’t desert the Lord. Make your choice.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:16 NLT

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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