Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 279

October 5;   Luke 21:37;   65/260(II);   ‘Giving Out, Taking In’

Luke 21:37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.

Imagine how the Jewish people loved to hear the Lord Jesus teach in the temple.  His messages were full of His love, God the Father’s determined will to care for them and the authority Jesus and His Father had to care for them.  How different what Jesus taught must have been from what the religious leaders taught.  Why would God’s Word tell us where the Lord would go and spend His nights?  I believe this verse is teaching a very important principle.  Knowing that Jesus came to be our Example, as well as the One who redeemed us from the curse, let’s think about what Jesus did at night on the mountain.  Surely He would have spent a good part of the evening or early morning in prayer, talking to His Father.  The fellowship with His Father would allow intimate exchanges that were so vitally important to our Lord.  Prayer time would also allow the Holy Spirit to ‘recharge’ Jesus’ spiritually, preparing Him for the next day when He would once again be in the temple teaching.  Prayer time, allowed the Lord Jesus to seek direction from His Father, for what the Father would have Him to teach on the next day.  Ministry of the Word is such a privilege, but since it is also a great responsibility, teaching the Word is physically and emotionally draining.  Since Jesus had a human body, He needed rest just like anyone else.  Since Jesus is our Example, all of us are called to share the gospel with others.  Get needed rest, spend quality time in prayer, seeking direction from the Lord as to who to share with and trust the Holy Spirit to help you know what to say.  Finally, praying in tongues recharges your spirit.