“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
Verse 39 is such a simple sentence. It includes the phrase, “… and they spent the day with him.” In the months and years to come, they would be taught, discipled, led from town to town, witness miracles, and sent on missions. Yet this first day with Jesus was simply that; a day with Jesus.
Q: Imagine what a day with Jesus might be like. If you are willing, please share your thoughts in the comments section.
My first day with Jesus was beyond anything I have experienced in my entire life. I felt like I was 3 feet off the ground, I was totally free of all burdens of guilt and worry, with a peace and happiness I had not realized was possible. I went to all my family and did the best I could to tell them of the new Life I had received as the result of accepting Christ. Nobody listened, so I sadly told them I would see them later, and in time we ceased all contact.
I was living with two other men in a depraved environment with all drugs, alcohol and physically beautiful immoral women we wanted. In obedience to God I bought my own house, took a day off work and with the help of hired men moved all I owned to my new home without telling anyone where I was going. I separated myself from those who would distract me from my new goals in life and spent the next 5 years living with Jesus in my heart as we studied the word of God with other Christian men at Bible Study Fellowship.
I struggled with the flesh as I sought to allow Jesus to grow in me, and at some point I found it was most effective for me to focus on the many, many do’s we are given rather than battle against the don’ts which take us away from God.
I have now lived with Christ for 41 years. He is my very best friend, provider of all that is of value and has given me so much work I have little time to do anything other than serve Him in some capacity. I do have struggles, however my relationship with Christ has grown to the point where I can feel the separation I experience when I choose to walk into known sin rather than walk in obedience to Christ.
I am still maturing as the Holy Spirit continues to reveal directions of growth I should take. This will be a part of my life until I am greeted by Christ in Heaven and made perfect by Him for all eternity.
Ron,
Thank you for sharing your story! It is so amazing how a day with Jesus can change a life!
Yes it can Brother,
A lot of us will be on our faces before Him.
I thought a lot about this question. At first I had this image of Jesus and I walking on a road or sitting underneath a tree talking, but I don’t think that is how a day with Jesus would be. I think a day with Jesus would a very busy day, and I also think we may have a moment that He would address me specifically, but the majority of the day would be listening and watching Him teach and perform miracles.
Matthew 14:13-21 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
I think this is more how the day would go. That there would be crowds near Jesus and He would speak and perform miracles (if not outwardly, certainly in the hearts of people). I think about 5,000 men (besides women and children) at one place to come see and listen to Jesus. In the first verse it mentions Jesus had compassion on them and healed their sick. I think that is how a day with Jesus would have gone; Him healing. The next question burning in my mind is: if we came to a point of one-on-one conversation, what would Jesus talk to me about? What would Jesus want to say to me about my life?
Chris,
You present us with an interesting insight into a “day with Jesus” today. A quiet afternoon under a tree or a busy day with thousands of people?
The mystery of Jesus is that he can do both. He is both intimately personal with each one of us, and he is simultaneously intimate with everyone who believes in Him and accepts Him as Lord.
Our God is Amazing!