Rev. Jerry Peck
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Even with the rest of the world, God is never too busy for you
Christian Corner
By Rev. Jerry Peck
Someone experiencing depression from overwhelming responsibilities once told me, “With all the problems of the world, God is too busy to respond to my needs.” I tried to assure this person that God is all-powerful, loves all people and is never too busy for anyone.
The world is a busy place for most of us, and as life includes more and more conveniences, more demands seem to be placed upon us. Prioritizing is essential for busy lives. When I began ministry 35 years ago, I began each day by writing a list of things I needed to do. Years later I learned to use a Franklin Planner, and several years ago I started using an electronic planner. Each of these is a method of prioritizing on the basis of importance.
Some days have had so many important things to accomplish, that sometimes it has been difficult to decide where to start. Even though plans often have to be changed because of changing circumstances, I have always attempted to put prayer at the top of my list, trusting a God who can do more than I could ever dream of doing.
Recently, as I was reading the “Feeding of the 5,000” in Matthew 14:13-21, it occurred to me that when Jesus assumed a human form, he too experienced (and therefore understands) a busy life and also found it necessary to prioritize. His constant priority was to show that God loves every human being and can respond to their needs.
When the “Feeding of the 5,000” occurred, Jesus had typically been busy preaching, teaching, helping and healing. He had just heard that John the Baptizer had been beheaded. Because John was a relative and had introduced him to the world, Jesus naturally felt grief and intended to go by boat “to a lonely place” for some personal time. However, even before he reached that place, a crowd of 5,000 men (an estimated 15,000 if women and children are included) had gathered at the place of his destination. Maintaining his priority of showing God’s love, he gave up his personal time. Matthew says that he immediately had compassion for the people and began healing the sick. When evening came, he miraculously provided food for all of them.
As we continue to experience busy lives and economic uncertainties, I find it encouraging to know that an all-powerful God has me and every other human being as his top priority.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus offered an invitation. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (NIV). In Romans 8:31 the apostle Paul rhetorically asked, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (NIV). These may be simple words, but I believe they are powerful words of hope in difficult times. God is never too busy for anyone.
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The world is a busy place for most of us, and as life includes more and more conveniences, more demands seem to be placed upon us. Prioritizing is essential for busy lives. When I began ministry 35 years ago, I began each day by writing a list of things I needed to do. Years later I learned to use a Franklin Planner, and several years ago I started using an electronic planner. Each of these is a method of prioritizing on the basis of importance.
Some days have had so many important things to accomplish, that sometimes it has been difficult to decide where to start. Even though plans often have to be changed because of changing circumstances, I have always attempted to put prayer at the top of my list, trusting a God who can do more than I could ever dream of doing.
Recently, as I was reading the “Feeding of the 5,000” in Matthew 14:13-21, it occurred to me that when Jesus assumed a human form, he too experienced (and therefore understands) a busy life and also found it necessary to prioritize. His constant priority was to show that God loves every human being and can respond to their needs.
When the “Feeding of the 5,000” occurred, Jesus had typically been busy preaching, teaching, helping and healing. He had just heard that John the Baptizer had been beheaded. Because John was a relative and had introduced him to the world, Jesus naturally felt grief and intended to go by boat “to a lonely place” for some personal time. However, even before he reached that place, a crowd of 5,000 men (an estimated 15,000 if women and children are included) had gathered at the place of his destination. Maintaining his priority of showing God’s love, he gave up his personal time. Matthew says that he immediately had compassion for the people and began healing the sick. When evening came, he miraculously provided food for all of them.
As we continue to experience busy lives and economic uncertainties, I find it encouraging to know that an all-powerful God has me and every other human being as his top priority.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus offered an invitation. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (NIV). In Romans 8:31 the apostle Paul rhetorically asked, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (NIV). These may be simple words, but I believe they are powerful words of hope in difficult times. God is never too busy for anyone.